Day: July 14, 2026

Islamabad: Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid Monday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding transparent, technology-driven and inclusive social protection services while reviewing the progress of Asian Development Bank (ADB)-supported initiatives aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s social safety net.

She expressed these views during a meeting at BISP Headquarters with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Joint Review Mission, which reviewed the implementation of projects under the Integrated Social Protection Development Program (ISPDP), its Additional Financing, and BISP’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes for health and education.

The ADB delegation comprised Co-Mission Leader and Senior Project Officer Mansoor Ali Masood, Senior Social Sector Specialist (Health and Social Protection) Hiddo Huitzing, Co-Mission Leader and Principal Social Sector Specialist Xin Long, Technical Assistance Team Leader and National Social Protection Specialist Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, and Program Implementation Specialist Noman Ali.

During the meeting, Senator Rubina Khalid appreciated ADB’s longstanding partnership with BISP and highlighted the programme’s continued efforts to improve the delivery of social protection through greater transparency, digital innovation and inclusivity.

She also stressed the importance of sustained collaboration on data security, implementation of the Benazir Hunarmand Programme, and strengthening education and awareness initiatives under BISP’s Conditional Cash Transfer programmes.

The participants reviewed progress on the Design and Monitoring Framework (DMF), Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs), the Program Action Plan (PAP), technical assistance activities, reporting requirements, adolescent girls’ nutrition interventions, and future implementation arrangements.

The ADB mission appreciated the progress made by BISP in implementing the programme and reaffirmed the bank’s continued technical and financial support for further strengthening Pakistan’s social protection system.

Additional Secretary BISP Dr. Asmat Nawaz and all Director Generals of the programme also attended the meeting.

Islamabad: The benchmark KSE-100 Index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) closed on a bearish note on Monday, losing 2,314.73 points, a negative change of 1.27 percent, to settle at 179,927.05 points against 182,241.78 points on the previous trading day.

During the session, the ready market recorded a trading volume of 845.279 million shares with a traded value of Rs35.551 billion, compared to 948.776 million shares valuing Rs38.413 billion in the previous session. The market capitalization declined to Rs20.290 trillion from Rs20.503 trillion a day earlier.

Out of 497 active companies in the ready market, 128 advanced, 335 declined, and 34 remained unchanged.

Cnergyico PK led the volume chart with 158.523 million shares, followed by F. Nat. Equities with 64.234 million shares and Blue-Ex Limited with 43.874 million shares.

The top gainers included Khairpur Sugar Mills Limited, which surged by Rs201.34 to close at Rs2,282.89, and PIA Holding Company LimitedB, which gained Rs123.68 to settle at Rs17,801.01.

On the losing side, Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited declined by Rs445.00 to close at Rs25,268.00, while Sapphire Textile Mills Limited fell by Rs64.04 to settle at Rs1,436.85.

In the futures (DFC) market, turnover stood at 189.239 million shares with a traded value of Rs8.530 billion, compared to 186.207 million shares worth Rs8.065 billion in the previous session.

Out of 302 futures-market companies, 41 advanced, 258 declined, and three remained unchanged.

Islamabad: Acting President, the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Tahir Ayub on Monday urged for placing commercial diplomacy at the heart of economic and foreign policy to achieve sustainable export growth, attract foreign investment, and strengthen its position in regional and global markets.

Speaking to a delegation of visiting Industrialists including Zikria Zia, Iftikhar Sethi, Mian Waqas Masood and Mirza Mohammad Ali, he said that while Pakistan possessed immense potential in manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, minerals, and services.

He said that the country has yet to fully capitalize on these strengths due to the absence of a coordinated and

results-oriented commercial diplomacy framework, said a press release.

Tahir Ayub emphasized that Pakistani embassies and trade missions abroad should serve as proactive economic ambassadors, working closely with the business community to identify emerging market opportunities, facilitate business-to-business linkages, organize sector-specific trade events, and help Pakistani exporters establish long-term commercial partnerships.

He noted that diplomatic missions should be evaluated not only on traditional diplomatic achievements but also on their contribution to expanding exports, attracting foreign direct investment, and promoting Pakistan’s economic interests.

The ICCI Acting President underscored the importance of exploring untapped markets in Africa, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe while consolidating Pakistan’s presence in traditional export destinations.

He said that reducing overdependence on a limited number of markets would enhance export resilience and create new opportunities for Pakistani businesses.

He further called for greater engagement with the Pakistani diaspora, describing overseas Pakistanis as valuable economic ambassadors who can play a pivotal role in promoting Pakistani brands, facilitating trade partnerships, attracting investment, and opening doors to international markets.

On his part Vice President Irfan Chaudhry emphasized that regular interaction between Pakistani diplomats and the business community should become an institutionalized practice, enabling exporters to communicate market-specific challenges and receive timely support.

He proposed establishing dedicated commercial facilitation desks at Pakistani missions abroad to assist exporters and investors more effectively.

Islamabad: The committee constituted by the prime minister to review the petroleum pricing mechanism held its fourth meeting on Monday under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik.

The committee reviewed international best practices and prevailing market conditions as part of its assessment of Pakistan’s petroleum pricing framework.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the committee’s work had assumed greater significance in light of the renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting uncertainty in global energy markets. Citing a KPMG study, he said petrol prices in Pakistan remain lower than those in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Trkiye, while being broadly comparable to prices in India.

The minister said the government had proposed amendments to the Refinery Policy to increase domestic diesel production and reduce reliance on imported diesel, thereby strengthening the country’s energy security.

The committee reviewed various options for improving the petroleum pricing mechanism. As an immediate step, it recommended that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) publish daily Platts pricing data on its website to provide the public with access to the benchmark used for petroleum pricing in Pakistan.

The committee also agreed that the recently established Petroleum Price Stabilisation Fund should operate under a fully rules-based framework, with clearly defined mechanisms for funding and disbursements to ensure transparency and prevent arbitrary decision-making.

Members also emphasised the need to digitise the oil supply chain. Chairing the meeting, Malik directed that the committee’s next meeting would be its final session, after which its recommendations would be submitted to the prime minister for consideration.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, OGRA Chairman Nabeel Awan, representatives of KPMG, committee members, officials from the Finance Division, and senior representatives of OGRA, Pakistan State Oil (PSO), the Ministry of Law and Justice, and the Petroleum Division.

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Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has achieved a major milestone in its ongoing programme of institutional modernization by integrating technology across its judicial and administrative functions to build a comprehensive digital justice ecosystem.

Through a series of interconnected reforms, the Court is transforming the way cases are managed, judicial services are delivered and institutional processes are administered, with the objective of making justice more accessible, transparent, efficient and responsive.

A cornerstone of this transformation is the successful completion of the digitization of all pending case records. A total of 44,995 pending case files have been scanned in searchable OCR format, barcoded, digitally catalogued and integrated with the Court’s Case Information Management System (CIMS).

Significantly, the digitization exercise was completed alongside the Court’s regular judicial work, during which 11,999 of these digitized cases have already been decided, demonstrating the seamless integration of technology into the Court’s day-to-day judicial operations.

Complementing the digitization initiative, the Supreme Court has also completed, for the first time in its history, the categorization of all pending cases under a structured case categorization framework developed by a Committee of Judges. Supported by a dedicated Categorization Cell, every pending case has been systematically classified according to its jurisdiction and subject matter, creating the foundation for smarter case management, data-driven planning, efficient scheduling and priority-based allocation of judicial resources.

The Court’s digital transformation extends well beyond the digitization of records. A range of technology-enabled services have been introduced, including electronic filing of cases, QR-authenticated certified copies, online applications for judicial services, digital enrollment of advocates, electronic payment of court fees through OneLink and the State Bank of Pakistan, institutionalized video-link hearings, and a Public Facilitation Centre offering 35 citizen-centric digital services through an integrated online platform. These initiatives have significantly enhanced convenience, reduced physical barriers and improved public access to the Court’s services.

The digital transformation has also strengthened institutional governance. Administrative functions have transitioned to the Government’s e-Office platform, enabling paperless processing of official business, improving operational efficiency, enhancing accountability and promoting transparent institutional management.

Together, these initiatives represent a fundamental shift from conventional paper-based processes to an integrated digital ecosystem that supports efficient case management, data-driven decision-making and citizen-centric service delivery. The reforms have established the technological infrastructure necessary for future innovations, including automated case management, judicial analytics and the responsible integration of emerging technologies into judicial administration.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan remains committed to leveraging technology to strengthen institutional capacity and improve the administration of justice while upholding the constitutional values of fairness, transparency, due process and judicial independence.