Punjab Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Chairperson and Member of the Provincial Assembly Sarah Ahmed has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly seeking restrictions on social media use by children under the age of 16.

The resolution calls for a ban on social media access for children below 16 years of age to protect them from the harmful effects of online platforms.

According to the text of the resolution, Sarah Ahmed also proposed banning the photography and videography of children under the age of 16.

The resolution further appealed to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to formulate an effective legal and regulatory framework to implement the proposed measures.

It also urged practical steps to ensure the psychological and moral protection of children, calling on the PTA to ensure that harmful or inappropriate content targeting children is promptly blocked across all mobile and social media applications.

In order to expedite the implementation of important infrastructure and public service initiatives throughout the province, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has allocated Rs80.7 billion for ongoing development projects under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2026–2027.

The province Finance Department reports that 40% of the funds allotted for ongoing projects have been disbursed in a single tranche; funding for new projects will be made available upon formal approval.

According to Finance Secretary Kamran Ahmad Afridi, the prompt transfer of cash would guarantee the prompt implementation of development plans and demonstrate the province’s financial stability.

Projects in the settled districts would receive Rs. 61 billion of the total allocation.

However, the ADP has set aside Rs7.9 billion for development initiatives in those regions.

The government has set up Rs. 12 billion for highways, Rs. 8.8 billion for urban development, Rs. 5.8 billion for irrigation, and Rs. 2 billion for local government projects in the settled districts.

Additional funding includes Rs. 4.5 billion for health, Rs. 3 billion for drinking water, Rs. 1.9 billion for primary and secondary education, and Rs. 1.7 billion each for law and order and higher education.

The AIP has set aside Rs2.3 billion for roads, Rs1.2 billion for health care, and Rs1 billion for primary and secondary education in the combined districts. Additionally, the government has set aside Rs705 million for drinking water projects and Rs1.6 billion for law and order.

he Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued the framework for a fixed tax scheme for small traders, allowing owners of a single shop with an annual turnover of up to Rs200 million to benefit from the proposed regime.

According to an FBR notification, the scheme proposes a one percent tax on gross turnover, with the government expecting to generate more than Rs50 billion annually if the initiative is successfully implemented.

The FBR said the scheme will be voluntary, allowing traders to either opt for the fixed tax regime or continue filing regular income tax returns. A minimum cash tax payment of Rs25,000 will be mandatory, while owners of multiple shops will not be eligible. Tier-1 retailers, jewellers and professional service providers have also been excluded from the scheme.

The tax authority has invited objections and suggestions on the draft within seven days. Eligible traders will be able to register through the IRIS portal, the FBR mobile application or the nearest tax office. Under the proposed scheme, qualifying traders will be issued a “Green Plate.”

Under the notification, FBR officials will not enter Green Plate shops for routine tax matters. Small traders registered under the scheme will not be required to install POS machines and will also be exempt from routine tax audits.

The notification further states that participants must provide details of net profit, income from other sources and total taxes paid. They will also be required to disclose immovable property, bank balances, available cash and other assets in the prescribed form.

The FBR has also introduced a simplified one-page tax return form for small traders, requiring information including the business name, address, CNIC number, nature of business, annual sales, purchases and business expenses.

According to the FBR, audits may still be conducted in cases involving unusual business activity or significant asset purchases. The authority warned that legal action will be taken against anyone found misusing the scheme or concealing information, and said it is authorized to act on data received from third-party sources.