Day: July 10, 2026

Islamabad: The benchmark KSE-100 Index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) remained in the red on Thursday, losing 369.69 points, a negative change of 0.20 percent, to close at 181,259.68 points against 181,629.37 points on the previous trading day.

During the session, the ready market recorded a trading volume of 982.121 million shares with a traded value of Rs41.860 billion, compared to 1.551 billion shares valuing Rs62.437 billion in the previous session. The market capitalization stood at Rs20.382 trillion, slightly down from Rs20.383 trillion a day earlier.

Out of 497 active companies in the ready market, 263 advanced, 203 declined, and 31 remained unchanged.

Cnergyico PK led the volume chart with 211.684 million shares, followed by LSE Capital Ltd. with 58.382 million shares and Pak Refinery with 49.649 million shares.

The top gainers included Khairpur Sugar Mills Limited, which surged by Rs172.03 to close at Rs1,892.32, and Ghandhara Industries Limited, which gained Rs99.82 to settle at Rs1,097.98.

On the losing side, PIA Holding Company LimitedB declined by Rs222.67 to close at Rs17,677.33, while The Premier Sugar Mills fell by Rs70.97 to settle at Rs638.72.

In the futures (DFC) market, turnover stood at 220.304 million shares with a traded value of Rs9.635 billion, compared to 296.135 million shares worth Rs13.178 billion in the previous session.

Out of 302 futures-market companies, 144 advanced, 150 declined, and eight remained unchanged.

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on Thursday reviewed the progress of the Benazir Income Support Programme’s (BISP) digital wallet system, directing the programme to strengthen implementation mechanisms, improve public awareness and ensure participating banks provide adequate facilitation to beneficiaries.

The committee, which met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, also discussed digital wallet interoperability, compliance by partner banks, beneficiary compensation following the Rahim Yar Khan payment centre incident, and administrative matters related to BISP and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.

The meeting began with Fateha for the mother of Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Imran Ahmed Shah.

During the briefing, the Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) informed the committee that HBL and HBL Microfinance Bank would operationalise interoperability by July 16, followed by Telenor Microfinance Bank on July 20, while all six participating banks are expected to complete integration by July 31.

He said online transfers and RAAST transactions would remain free of charge, while transaction charges would apply only to cash withdrawals.

He further informed the committee that complete digitalisation and mandatory online functionality of BISP beneficiary accounts is planned by December 31.

Responding to questions regarding the absence of Point-of-Sale (POS) staff, an HBL representative informed the committee that 77 out of 104 designated staff members were currently deployed in Gujrat district and around 35 per cent of the disbursement target had been achieved there.

Expressing concern over limited public awareness of the Social Protection Digital Wallet and the enforcement of contractual obligations on participating banks, the committee directed the BISP secretary to establish an effective implementation mechanism and ensure banks provide sufficient on-site POS agents and facilitation for beneficiaries.

The BISP secretary assured the committee that a district-wise performance report of participating banks would be submitted and said interoperability had been achieved through coordinated efforts of all stakeholders.

The SBP deputy governor informed the committee that the transaction cost had been fixed at Rs 280, while the schedule of charges would be notified by the central bank every six months.

The committee also directed BISP to submit a detailed report on its public awareness campaign and coordinate with all six participating banks to launch social media awareness campaigns through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The committee acknowledged progress made in the digital transformation of the social protection system and appreciated the role of the State Bank and the committee’s leadership in advancing the initiative.

Discussing the March 16, incident at a Mobilink Microfinance Bank (JazzCash) BISP payment distribution centre in Rahim Yar Khan, the committee was informed that the bank had been penalised by BISP.

Families of each deceased person had received Rs two million in compensation, while Rs 500,000 had been provided for the medical treatment of each injured person, with the amounts recovered from the bank.

The committee also expressed concern over inadequate accessibility for persons with disabilities at banking facilities.

The State Bank assured members that a comprehensive accessibility and disability audit of bank branches would be carried out.

On administrative matters, the committee was informed that BISP was currently operating with 134 employees on deputation and 17 consultants while facing shortages of permanent staff due to federal austerity measures.

The committee directed the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety to submit a summary to the Finance Division and the relevant austerity committee within two weeks seeking exemptions for staffing requirements.

The committee also reviewed matters relating to Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal. Members were informed that Shaikh Zayed Medical College Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan lacked facilities for cochlear implants, while the Women Empowerment Centre in Khangarh Tehsil remained non-operational because of infrastructure and human resource constraints.

The committee proposed a temporary arrangement in Muzaffargarh to ensure continuity of services.

The committee further decided that questions submitted by members regarding BISP and its beneficiaries would be included in the agenda of its next meeting.

The meeting was attended by committee members, Federal Minister Imran Ahmed Shah, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Senator Capt. Shaheen Khalid Butt, the Secretary BISP and senior officials from the ministry and other relevant organisations.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s capital market achieved a historic milestone during financial year 2025-26, as stock market investor accounts increased by 48%, the highest-ever annual growth recorded in the country’s capital market.

The number of stock market investors increased from 392,775 on July 1, 2025, to 583,052 as of June 30, with the addition of 190,277 new investors, said a press release issued by the SECP here on Thursday.

The growth reflects increasing public confidence, improved market access and rising interest in investment opportunities. SECP, in collaboration with Capital Market Infrastructure Institutions (CMIIs) including the National Clearing Company of Pakistan (NCCPL), Central Depository Company (CDC) and Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), introduced several reforms to make account opening easier and promote financial inclusion.

Key reforms include increasing the Sahulat Account limit from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 3 million, removing duplicate requirements for investors opening accounts through banks, digital banks and Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), introducing IBAN-based verification, and launching Minor Trading Accounts that enable individuals below 18 years of age to invest through their guardians.

During the year, Karachi recorded the highest share of new investor accounts at 25%, followed by Lahore 16%, Islamabad and Rawalpindi 13%, Faisalabad 4% and Multan 3%, showing increasing participation from major cities across Pakistan.

Young investors played a significant role in this growth, with 45% of new UINs registered by individuals aged 18 to 30 years during January-June 2026. Investors aged 31 to 45 years contributed another 41% of new accounts, highlighting growing participation of young and working-age investors in the capital market.

SECP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said that increasing retail participation, particularly among young investors, is a key priority for SECP. He said the Commission, together with market institutions, is introducing technology-driven solutions, including a mobile application for digital onboarding, to make investing simpler, faster and more accessible.

‘Pakistan’s capital market can play an important role in economic growth by channeling savings into productive investments. Our focus is to simplify access, strengthen investor confidence and encourage more citizens, especially youth, to participate in wealth creation and the country’s economic development,’ Dr. Sidhu said.

Islamabad: Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan noted that ACT-AI initiative, launched under the vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, is being implemented through collaboration between the PYMP, HEC, NAVTTC, and ACT-AI to equip young people with state-of-the-art AI skills.

He made these remarks during visit the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Smart Classroom, where he was virtually interacting with students enrolled in the ACT-AI Online Short Course on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Skills.

The visit was followed by a meeting with HEC officials to review the programme’s progress and discuss strategies for expanding AI education and strengthening industry linkages for Pakistani youth.

Representing HEC were Dr Nasir Khan, Member Quality Assurance; Dr Shafiqu e Rehman; Member Strategic Planning, and IT and Curriculum Division officials involved in implementing the ACT-AI initiative.

During the virtual interaction, students from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Gilgit-Baltistan shared their experiences, appreciating the programme’s quality instruction, practical curriculum, and relevance to emerging industry demands. They also highlighted areas for improvement, to which Chairman PMYP assured them that their feedback would be incorporated into future phases of the initiative.

Addressing the participants, Rana Mashhood said the ACT-AI initiative reflects the Government’s continued commitment to preparing Pakistani youth for opportunities in the rapidly evolving digital economy.

He further shared that work is underway to develop Pakistan’s first uniform AI curriculum and emphasized that future cohorts would continue to incorporate the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence.

The subsequent meeting focused on the programme’s next phase and strategies to build a stronger AI talent pipeline. Participants discussed expanding collaboration with key national organizations, including Ignite, the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), the National Incubation Center (NIC), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), and university incubation centres. These partnerships aim to provide students with internships, mentoring, entrepreneurship support, industry exposure, and employment opportunities.

The meeting was informed that the programme’s first cohort has yielded encouraging results, with several alumni now contributing to the initiative as instructors and mentors. Participants agreed to continue the programme through structured two-month cohorts, while follow-up coordination meetings with partner organizations will further strengthen implementation and industry engagement.

HEC officials also briefed the meeting on the Commission’s broader initiatives to enhance computing education and graduate employability. These include the National Skill Competency Test (NSCT), which benchmarks the competencies of final-year computing students against industry requirements, as well as HEC’s recent decision to introduce a mandatory Artificial Intelligence course across undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes to equip students from all disciplines with foundational AI knowledge.

Appreciating HEC’s role in implementing the initiative through its Smart Classroom network, Mr. Rana Mashhood commended the Commission’s efforts to expand access to quality digital education and reaffirmed PMYP’s commitment to working closely with HEC and partner organizations to build a skilled, innovative, and globally competitive workforce capable of driving Pakistan’s digital transformation.

Islamabad: British High Commissioner Jane Marriott called on Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday and discussed Pakistan-UK relations and exchanged views on regional developments, including the recent U.S-Iran situation.

DPM/FM highlighted Pakistan’s constructive mediation efforts in support of dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation.

The British High Commissioner appreciated Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace and stability.

Islamabad: A fire that broke out at G-9 Markaz in Islamabad was brought under control after a response by firefighting teams, while district authorities continued post-fire operations at the site.

According to the district administration, the Assistant Commissioner and Magistrate remained present at the location to monitor the situation and coordinate response efforts. Fire brigade vehicles worked to contain the blaze and successfully prevented its further spread.

Following the extinguishing of the fire, a cooling process is still underway to eliminate any remaining hotspots and reduce the risk of reignition. Officials said teams are continuing to monitor the affected area as part of standard safety procedures.

The district administration confirmed that the immediate emergency has been handled, and authorities are now focusing on assessing the impact of the incident. Relevant departments are collecting information from the site and reviewing available evidence.

Officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire. The inquiry will examine all possible factors that may have contributed to the incident.

Authorities have urged the public to rely on official sources for information while the investigation and assessment process continues.