LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to impose a ban on all kinds of protest gatherings and rallies on The Mall to preserve its heritage character.

The decision was taken at a meeting on the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival (LAHAR) project jointly chaired by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz here on Wednesday.

The meeting reviewed progress on the restoration of historic and heritage sites in the provincial capital.

The meeting approved construction of a bridge to directly connect the tomb of Jahangir with the main road. Progress on the restoration of Nur Jahan and Asif Khan tombs was also reviewed.

AI-based traffic management system being introduced; Chinese nationals to be escorted by police

It decided to fully restore all sections of the Lahore Fort to their original condition. Spread over 40 acres, 26 monuments within the fort complex will be restored.

The meeting considered a proposal to establish a new wing within the tourism department dedicated to the restoration and maintenance of historic buildings. Kharaak Singh Haveli and old servant quarters would be converted into a heritage hotel to promote tourism.

The chief minister directed immediate steps to remove electricity and other overhead wiring from the entire walled city.

Restoration projects from Tollinton Market to Lahori Gate, and from Kutchery Chowk to Neela Gumbad were reviewed. Work to restore uniform historic façades from Shah Alam Market to Rang Mahal Chowk was also discussed.

A report was presented on the Nasser Bagh underground parking project, rehabilitation of Railway Station Chowk and the revival of Misri Shah.

Approval was granted for an aesthetically enhanced exterior design to restore the traditional and historic character of Pak Tea House.

The meeting also reviewed proposals for the restoration of a cricket ground and traditional wrestling arena at Minto Park, reaffirming the government’s resolve to blend heritage conservation with modern urban planning under the vision of a renewed old Lahore.

Apex Committee: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that artificial intelligence-based technology following the Chinese model will be introduced for traffic management in Lahore.

She said this while chairing a meeting of the Provincial Apex Committee to review the overall security situation in the province here on Wednesday.

The chief minister directed strict implementation of standard operating procedures for the security of Chinese nationals and said no negligence would be tolerated. She said, “Chinese nationals will now move only under police escort”.

The participants reviewed the law and order across the province and expressed satisfaction over the effective coordination among institutions.

A briefing was given on the pre-emptive security measures taken by the Punjab government for public safety. Progress on the repatriation of illegally residing Afghan nationals was also reviewed, while the need for joint measures and cooperation to eliminate terrorism was emphasised.

The meeting was informed that more than 10,500 illegal Afghan nationals had been repatriated and that daily combing operations were continuing.

Referring to protests outside the US Consulate in Lahore, she said the police handled the situation effectively. She directed that an anti-drone unit be made fully operational in Punjab soon and said that anti-drone cells should also be established at the district level.

She said that no kidnapping-for-ransom case had surfaced in the Katcha area in the past three and a half months. She said that a Rs10 billion development package, including for Safe City, education and health reforms, was being introduced for the Katcha region, where 1,500 personnel would be deployed along with bulletproof vehicles.

The chief minister said digital monitoring of anti-social elements was essential.

She said under the Ramazan Nigehban Package, 4.2 million families had received Rs10,000 each, while deserving individuals left out were being provided assistance within 24 hours. Affordable commodities were being made available through the Ramazan Sahulat Bazaars in every tehsil, she added.

The Lahore corps commander and other senior officials also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2026