Overview
- Punjab’s disaster authority warned of severe cold through January 16 with Lahore’s minimum at 3°C, as the national meteorological department rejected viral claims of a record-breaking cold wave and highlighted a western weather system expected January 16–18 with region-specific rain and snowfall risks.
- An Interior Ministry committee reviewed the preliminary report on the Islamabad wedding-house gas explosion that killed eight and injured 11, with findings due to the prime minister within 48 hours and briefings taken on old pipelines, safety rules and the rescue response.
- A separate gas-leak blast near Attari Darbar in Lahore injured eight, and industry data reported 488 LPG cylinder-related fires or explosions in Punjab since 2022, causing 25 deaths and 286 injuries, frequently linked to poor or non‑standard cylinders.
- Pakistan and Indonesia formalized palm‑oil cooperation with an agreement to establish a joint trade commission and MOUs between GAPKI and Pakistani edible‑oil manufacturers, including plans for direct contracts, technical collaboration and logistics and certification work.
- The Lahore High Court ordered restoration of Nasser Bagh Park in the smog case with a compliance report requested, and President Asif Ali Zardari promulgated an ordinance restructuring Islamabad’s local government into three Town Corporations with defined membership and election rules.