Jhelum: Historic Library Revived as Fuel Relief Scheme Reaches City Commuters

Two civic developments shaped the news from Jhelum this week. The city's 90-year-old Lala Lajpat Rai Library has reopened after a months-long renovation that added a computer lab, a restored reading hall and a refreshed book collection, representing one of the more tangible investments in the city's public cultural infrastructure in recent years. Meanwhile, the Punjab Food Authority carried out a food safety operation, discarding 2,100 litres of adulterated milk seized in the district, while a federal minister toured petrol stations to confirm that the Prime Minister's Fuel Relief Scheme is functioning for motorcycle owners and low-income commuters.

🗳️ Federal Minister Inspects PM Fuel Relief Scheme Rollout at Jhelum Petrol Stations

Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani visited petrol stations across Jhelum to review on-the-ground implementation of the Prime Minister's Fuel Relief Scheme. He examined registration camps set up at filling stations throughout the city, checking the processes in place to help eligible residents obtain subsidised fuel tokens through SMS to the number 9771. The minister did not limit himself to supervision: he personally walked residents through the registration steps and, once tokens were confirmed, refuelled motorcycles belonging to verified beneficiaries himself, signalling that the government wants visible, hands-on accountability for the scheme. Kayani directed the district administration to extend the registration network, specifically instructing officials to set up additional camps outside the District Headquarters Hospital and near government colleges so that patients attending the health facility and students could register close to where they already spend time. He confirmed that the subsidised fuel benefit applies to motorcycles, three-wheeled rickshaws, Qingqi rickshaws and motor vehicles with engine capacity up to 800cc, making the scheme accessible primarily to daily-wage workers, commuters relying on two-wheelers and small-vehicle operators who form a large part of Jhelum's working population. [5]

🤝 Lala Lajpat Rai Library Reopens with 4,000 Books, Computer Lab After Restoration

The Lala Lajpat Rai Library, a ninety-year-old public institution in Jhelum, has completed a major restoration and reopened its doors after months of closure during the renovation work. The project, funded at approximately $36,000, produced a substantially improved facility: the reading hall has been restored, a computer lab has been installed, and the collection has been restocked with close to 4,000 volumes. Officials behind the effort said the renovation aims to rekindle a culture of reading in the Punjab city and to give the public a quality space for study, research and community gathering. The library draws its name from Lala Lajpat Rai, the Punjab-born nationalist figure and freedom leader with historic ties to this region, which gives the building both practical and symbolic value in the eyes of residents. A young visitor who returned to the library after roughly a year found the premises almost unrecognisable from what he had seen before the renovation, suggesting the transformation has been comprehensive rather than superficial. The investment is notable as a rare commitment to cultural public infrastructure in the city and is expected to draw students, professionals and everyday readers back into regular use of a shared civic space. [7]

Punjab Food Authority Discards 2,100 Litres of Adulterated Milk in Jhelum

The Punjab Food Authority carried out an enforcement action in Jhelum, confiscating and destroying 2,100 litres of adulterated milk, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. The Punjab Food Authority Act empowers the PFA to inspect milk throughout the supply chain—including collection points, transport vehicles and retail outlets—and to seize and publicly destroy products that fail safety and purity standards. Adulteration of milk is a widespread concern in Punjab, typically involving dilution with water, the addition of chemicals to extend shelf life or the substitution of fat with cheaper alternatives that can pose health risks to consumers, particularly children and the elderly. A seizure and discard of more than two thousand litres in a single district-level operation signals active field inspection rather than administrative compliance on paper. Public disclosure of the quantity removed is a standard element of the PFA's enforcement communication strategy, intended to deter producers and distributors who cut corners while reassuring consumers that the regulatory body is conducting real oversight in their locality and holding the supply chain to the standards required under law. [2]

Sources: [5] RADIO PAKISTAN · [7] Arab News PK · [2] | Associated Press Of Pakistan