Day: July 14, 2026

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday departed for a one-day visit to Qatar to offer condolences to the country’s leadership over the demise of the former Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Former Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is also accompanying the prime minister, besides Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar.

During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz will meet the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and offer condolences to him, the Qatari royal family, and the people of Qatar over the demise of the late leader.

The prime minister’s visit to Qatar reflects the decades-long, deep-rooted brotherly relations between the Qatari royal family, the people of Qatar, and the government and people of Pakistan.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz, in a statement, expressed grief over the demise of former Qatari Amir, remembering him as “a great leader and statesman whose wisdom, foresight and dedication to public service, transformed Qatar into a modern, prosperous and globally respected nation.”

He said that the late leader’s enduring contributions to the welfare of his nation and its people, as well as to regional peace, development and international cooperation, will be remembered for generations to come.

To express solidarity on behalf of the Government and people of Pakistan with the Royal Family, Government, and people of Qatar on this sad demise, the prime minister declared today (13th of July, 2026), as a day of national mourning in Pakistan, with the national flag flying at half-mast throughout the country.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s warm hospitality, efficient organization and commitment to advancing women’s empowerment drew widespread appreciation from delegates attended the 9th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Conference on Women describing the gathering as an important platform for strengthening cooperation and shaping a collective roadmap for the socio-economic and political empowerment of women.

Held here in the federal capital, the two-day ministerial conference brought together ministers, senior officials and representatives from OIC representatives from across the Muslim world, international organizations and partner institutions to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities facing women in the Islamic world and explore ways to strengthen collaboration through shared policies and initiatives.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Syrian Minister for Social Affairs and Labour Hind Kabawat described her visit to Pakistan as both memorable and symbolic, saying Syria’s participation marked the return of Syrian women to an international conference after many years.

She praised Pakistan’s warm hospitality and the excellent arrangements made for the event, saying delegates were made to feel at home from the moment they arrived. “Pakistan made us feel at home from the very first moment,” she remarked.

Kabawat said digital transformation and women’s affairs were among the key priorities of her ministry and expressed confidence that the conference would generate fresh ideas, strengthen partnerships among OIC member states and lead to practical initiatives benefiting women across the Islamic world.

Echoing similar sentiments, an OIC delegate said Pakistani women welcomed the visiting delegations not merely as guests but as sisters and members of one family, reflecting the country’s generosity, respect and spirit of Islamic brotherhood.

Representative of the Maldives delegation, Mariyam Raya Ahmed described the conference as an important opportunity to reinforce cooperation among Islamic countries on women’s development and gender equality.

She commended Pakistan for its excellent hospitality and arrangements and appreciated its role in bringing together OIC member states, particularly from the Asian region. She expressed optimism that the conference would deliver meaningful outcomes and further strengthen regional cooperation in the years ahead.

Secretary-General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Family Affairs Council, Dr. Maimouna Al Khalil said the conference reflected the OIC’s firm commitment to placing women’s issues at the highest policy level and would help shape the organization’s agenda on women’s empowerment in the coming years.

Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s progress in advancing women’s economic and social participation, she said OIC member states had achieved notable progress but needed to intensify efforts to further strengthen women’s role in society and national development. She also praised Pakistan’s hospitality and the meticulous arrangements for the conference and expressed hope that the deliberations would culminate in meaningful initiatives and a strong declaration to guide future action.

Director Planning and International Cooperation at the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (OIC), Dr. Alhagi Manta Drammeh termed the conference a timely initiative to promote women’s empowerment while addressing misconceptions regarding the role of women in Islam. He emphasized that men and women have complementary responsibilities in building prosperous societies and appreciated Pakistan’s successful hosting of the conference, describing it as an opportunity to project the true Islamic perspective on women’s rights and contributions.

Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare of The Gambia, Isatou Jobe, said the conference highlighted Pakistan’s leadership role within the Muslim world and its continued commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. She said Pakistan’s initiatives in support of women were widely appreciated across OIC member states and expressed pleasure at participating in a country that consistently championed issues of importance to the Islamic world.

Representing Nigeria, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, said the conference came at a significant time as Nigeria continued to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening women’s socio-economic empowerment. She underlined the importance of placing women at the centre of national development through legal reforms, economic opportunities and social protection measures, and commended Pakistan’s outstanding hospitality.

She also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working closely with fellow OIC member states to advance women’s economic, political and social participation through collective action and shared experiences.

Throughout the interactions, delegates repeatedly acknowledged Pakistan’s role in providing a welcoming environment that encouraged open dialogue and strengthened bonds among participating countries. Many expressed confidence that the conference would contribute to deeper cooperation and practical policy initiatives to improve the lives of women across the Muslim world.

The 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women was held under the theme “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward.” The conference sought to promote cooperation among OIC member states in expanding women’s participation in economic, social and political life while exchanging successful national experiences and identifying practical strategies to overcome shared challenges.

The conference was attended by Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani as the chief guest, Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar, who assumed the chairmanship of the conference, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs of the OIC Ambassador Dr. Tarig Ali Bakheet, Executive Director of the Women’s Development Organization Sarah Al Shoura, President of Egypt’s National Council for Women Amal Ammar, President of the Women’s Consultative Council of the 8th OIC Ministerial Conference Ambassador Naela Gabr, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Members of the National Assembly Saba Sadiq and Wajiha Qamar, representatives of international organizations, diplomats and delegates from across the Muslim world.

Islamabad: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Monday set aside the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgment in the Monal Restaurant case, allowing appeals filed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI).

A Constitutional Bench headed by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, announced a short order, vacating the stay order and ruling that issues relating to the ownership of the property would be decided independently by the trial courts without being influenced by the observations made in the earlier Supreme Court judgment.

The court directed the trial courts to decide the pending cases at the earliest, while administrative matters would be determined by the relevant regulatory authorities.

During the hearing, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi observed that several important aspects had not been taken into consideration in the Supreme Court’s judgment. He remarked that expressing displeasure merely because a case or a review petition had been filed was inappropriate. He further observed that the judgment contained matters that were unrelated to the facts of the case.

“The court does not deliver emotional judgments. Our decisions are based on law and the available record,” Justice Rizvi said, adding that the court would issue orders strictly on the basis of what had been argued during the proceedings. He also noted that, after reading the earlier judgment, it appeared to include several observations that fell outside the scope of the court proceedings.

Appearing on behalf of Monal Restaurant, counsel Ahsan Bhoon told the court that it had examined the case in great detail. Justice Rizvi, however, responded by asking counsel not to praise the bench during the proceedings.

Monal Restaurant was granted a lease in 2006 to operate within the Margalla Hills National Park. The matter remained under litigation before the Islamabad High Court and later the Supreme Court. On June 11, 2024, the Supreme Court ordered Monal, La Montana and other restaurants to vacate the national park, holding that commercial activities inside the protected area were inconsistent with environmental conservation principles.

Subsequently, the CDA informed the court that Monal, La Montana and other structures had been demolished and the land had been reclaimed.

In appeals filed before the Federal Constitutional Court earlier this year, the CDA and MCI argued that the Supreme Court’s decision had deprived the local government of lease rentals and other dues that would otherwise have been utilised for municipal services in Islamabad and development of villages surrounding the Margalla Hills National Park.

Accepting the appeals, the Federal Constitutional Court set aside the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgment.

Islamabad: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Monday paid tribute to Pakistan’s security forces for what he described as the successful Operation Shaban against militants in Balochistan, praising their professionalism and resolve in ongoing counterterrorism operations.

In a statement, Naqvi commended the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan, and police for their joint operation, which he said resulted in the killing of five more militants. He also praised the security forces for carrying out effective ground and aerial operations against militant elements.

The interior minister said the campaign against what he referred to as “Fitna al-Hindustan” would continue until the complete elimination of the group’s militants from Pakistan. He said those seeking to undermine peace in Balochistan were being brought to justice and asserted that the entire nation stood firmly alongside the country’s security forces in the fight against terrorism.

Naqvi added that the reported killing of 114 militants in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations so far reflected the high level of preparedness, professionalism, and operational readiness of Pakistan’s security forces. He further said that those responsible for shedding innocent blood in Balochistan deserved no leniency, reiterating the government’s commitment to restoring peace and stability in the province.

Islamabad: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, arrived in Trkiye on a two-day official visit. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir was warmly received upon his arrival in Trkiye, security sources said.

During the visit, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir will hold important meetings with Trkiye’s military and political leadership, security sources added.

Islamabad: The prices of gold witnessed a significant decline in the local market on Monday, with the price of 24-karat gold per tola decreasing by Rs3,800 to settle at Rs429,736, according to rates issued by the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association.

Similarly, the price of 10 grams of 24-karat gold fell by Rs3,258 to Rs368,429, whereas the price of 10 grams of 22-karat gold declined by Rs2,987 to Rs337,738.

In the international market, the price of gold decreased by $38 to $4,073 per ounce.

Meanwhile, the price of silver per tola dropped by Rs123 to Rs6,339, while the price of 10 grams of silver decreased by Rs106 to Rs5,434. The price of silver in the international market also declined by $1.23 to $58.60 per ounce, the association reported.