Day: July 11, 2026

Islamabad: Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Islamabad Qazi Ali Raza visited various mosques and Imambargahs across the federal capital to review security arrangements during Friday prayers.

An official told reporter on Friday that the SSP Qazi inspected security deployments, reviewed the overall security plan and assessed the performance of police officers and personnel deployed at sensitive worship places.

Qazi met the officers and jawans on duty and gave them a detailed briefing on security responsibilities, directing them to remain vigilant and ensure strict implementation of the security plan.

The SSP Qazi emphasized the importance of maintaining a visible police presence, effective checking and prompt response to any emergency situation to ensure the safety of worshippers.

He also directed officers to perform their duties with professionalism, dedication and courtesy while ensuring foolproof security at mosques and Imambargahs during Friday prayers, the official added.

Islamabad: The second edition of the Pakistan International Food and Restaurant Awards 2026 was held in Islamabad on Friday to recognize outstanding contributions to Pakistan’s food, restaurant, hospitality and tourism industries, bringing together government representatives, diplomats, parliamentarians, business leaders and stakeholders from across the country.

The event was organized by Brain Designer Pakistan in collaboration with the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) under the theme “Celebration of Marqa-e-Haq and Marqa Muhasiat” and “Celebrating Excellence in Food, Hospitality and Tourism.”

Speaking on the occasion, CEO of Brain Designer Pakistan and Focal Person to the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme on Tourism and Hospitality Muhammad Rauf Raja said the awards aimed to recognize excellence, innovation, quality and service in the food and hospitality sectors while encouraging young entrepreneurs, supporting the hospitality industry and promoting Pakistan as a global destination for tourism, investment, culture and hospitality.

Federal Minister for Tribal Affairs Mubarak Zeb Khan, the chief guest, appreciated the organizers for promoting Pakistan’s hospitality and tourism sectors. He stressed the importance of developing tourism, supporting local businesses, preserving cultural heritage and creating employment opportunities through the hospitality industry.

Chairman of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab Ur Rehman Rana, who attended the ceremony as guest of honour, highlighted Pakistan’s tourism potential and reaffirmed PTDC’s commitment to working with public and private sector partners to promote sustainable tourism, culinary tourism and international cooperation.

Chairman Board of Governors, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), Syed Qamar Raza Shah said overseas Pakistanis

played an important role in promoting Pakistan’s positive image worldwide, adding that Pakistani cuisine and hospitality served as strong ambassadors of the country’s culture. He called for stronger engagement between overseas Pakistanis and the hospitality sector.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture, Farah Naz Akbar said Pakistan’s rich culinary traditions and cultural heritage were among the country’s greatest strengths.

She appreciated initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting Pakistan’s diverse food culture while encouraging tourism, cultural exchange and youth participation.

During the ceremony, awards were presented to leading restaurants, hotels, caf©s, food brands, chefs, hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, tourism organizations and industry leaders in recognition of their contributions to raising standards in Pakistan’s food and hospitality sectors.

The organizers thanked government institutions, strategic partners, sponsors, diplomats, hospitality organizations, business leaders, media organizations and participants for contributing to the success of the event and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting tourism, cultural heritage, entrepreneurship, international partnerships, culinary excellence and sustainable economic growth in Pakistan.

Islamabad: The Committee on Improving Government Efficiency on Friday discussed, deliberated, and finalised the actionable recommendations of the five sub-working groups on restructuring and reforms.

The committee meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar finalised the recommendations on restructuring of the federal secretariat, upgradation of e-office into a decision-making processing system, transformation of the MS Wing, reforming the Performance Evaluation Report (PER) system, and developing a whole-of-government approach.

The recommendations of the committee will be presented to the Prime Minister for consideration.

The meeting was attended by the ministers for petroleum and information technology, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Bajwa, federal secretaries of Cabinet Division, Establishment Division, Economic affairs, Telecom, and other relevant stakeholders.

Islamabad: Candidate for UN Secretary-General, Ms. Rebeca Grynspan called on Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Friday.

DPM/FM reiterated Pakistan’s abiding commitment to promoting the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and respect for international law and treaties.

DPM/FM underscored the need for the peaceful resolution of disputes through the faithful implementation of UN Security Council resolutions for sustainable global peace.

He especially highlighted the need to address the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Palestine issue in this regard. Furthermore, the DPM emphasized the critical importance of the UN system in achieving the global development agenda.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday underscored that providing easy financial facilities to various sectors is essential for sustainable economic development.

He emphasized that banks should significantly increase the provision of loans to priority sectors, especially the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector, which is the backbone of the country’s economy.

The prime minister chaired a high-level meeting on promoting access to finance in Pakistan and was briefed on the Access to Finance Plan, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

Speaking on the occasion, the prime minister said the availability of easy-to-access financial facilities would enable increased exports, new employment opportunities and sustainable economic growth. He also announced that the banks that perform better in extending financial facilities would be encouraged.

“I will personally chair the monthly review meeting regarding the progress on the Access to Finance Plan. The government wants to make the economy stronger and more export-oriented by increasing access to financial facilities,” Prime Minister Shehbaz said.

During the briefing, the officials highlighted the priorities and goals of the Access to Finance Plan that were aimed to accelerate the journey from economic stability to sustainable economic growth.

They briefed that the key priorities include expanding the provision of financial services and making it a part of the national mainstream.

The main focus of the plan is to increase access to easy loans and credit for SMEs, agriculture, exports, renewable energy, housing and IT sectors. The main objective of the plan is to increase exports, sustainable economic growth and create new employment opportunities, the officials said.

The forum was informed that a system-wide approach involving the Ministry of Finance, State Bank of Pakistan, provincial governments and relevant institutions would be adopted for implementation. The Finance Minister will head the new governance structure while the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan will be the co-chair. Moreover, regular meetings will be held under the governance structure and the prime minister will be informed of the progress every month.

The officials also informed during the briefing, under the new governance structure, ambitious targets have been set for the provision of financial facilities in various sectors for the next two years. The goals of the Access to Finance Plan include a significant increase in the number of loans provided by banks to the SME sector and the number of businesses receiving loans.

A target has been set to increase the share of the SME sector in private sector loans from 7 percent to 10 percent in the next two years. The target has been set to increase the number of loan beneficiaries in the SME sector from 310,000 to 750,000 in the next two years, they added.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Attaullah Tarar, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, Governor State Bank Jamil Ahmed, Presidents and CEOs of Pakistani banks, provincial chief secretaries and senior government officials.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Housing and Works, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, met with the President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Syed Mohsen Gilani, who called on him to discuss the progress of football in Pakistan and ongoing efforts to revive the sport across the country.

During the meeting, Syed Mohsen Gilani expressed his gratitude to the Federal Minister for his unwavering support and commitment to the promotion of sports, particularly football.

He briefed the Minister on the recent positive developments within Pakistan football, including initiatives aimed at strengthening grassroots and creating greater opportunities for young athletes.

The PFF President also informed the Minister about the progress of the FIFA Arena Mini Pitch Project for Danish School Hasilpur in the District Bahawalpur under the FIFA Arena Programme.

He appreciated the Minister’s valuable support in facilitating this important initiative, which will provide world-class football infrastructure and encourage youth participation in sports in the region of South Punjab.

On the occasion, Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada lauded the efforts of the Pakistan Football Federation in revitalizing football and nurturing young talent. He remarked that the youth of Pakistan possess immense potential and, if provided with the right opportunities and facilities, can make a meaningful difference at both national and international levels.

The minister shared that he has personally been a sportsman throughout his school and college years and has actively participated in various sports.

He emphasized his firm belief that healthy minds thrive in healthy bodies, adding that sports play a vital role in developing disciplined, confident, and productive citizens.

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to the promotion of sports, the Minister assured Syed Mohsen Gilani of his full support for future initiatives aimed at the development of football and youth engagement. He appreciated the Pakistan Football Federation’s dedication and acknowledged its efforts in securing the FIFA Arena Mini Pitch Project for Danish School Hasilpur, describing it as a significant milestone in promoting grassroots football in Pakistan.

At the end of the meeting, the President presented a commemorative souvenir to the Federal Minister.