Day: July 22, 2026

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar,Tuesday, chaired a meeting to review preparations for Pakistan’s forthcoming diplomatic engagements, with a focus on ensuring effective coordination and advancing the country’s priorities.

The DPM/FM chaired a meeting with Foreign Secretary Ambassador Amna Baloch and senior officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.

The DPM/FM directed the ministry to maintain close coordination and make comprehensive preparations to effectively promote Pakistan’s interests.

Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening judicial and legal cooperation with Trkiye as he met a delegation of the Istanbul Bar Association visiting Pakistan at the invitation of the Pakistan Bar Council.

The delegation, led by representatives of the Istanbul Bar Association, was accompanied by Ambassador of the Republic of Trkiye to Pakistan Dr. Irfan Neziroglu and Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Peer Muhammad Masood Chishti during the meeting held at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Justice highlighted the longstanding brotherly ties between Pakistan and Trkiye, saying the relationship was built on shared history, mutual respect and enduring cooperation. He said Pakistan had greatly benefited from Trkiye’s experience in judicial administration and legal reforms and welcomed the growing collaboration between the legal communities of the two countries.

Justice Yahya Afridi expressed satisfaction over the expanding engagement between the Bars of Pakistan and Trkiye, saying such professional exchanges would further strengthen institutional ties and promote greater mutual understanding alongside existing judicial cooperation.

The visiting delegation thanked the Supreme Court of Pakistan for its warm hospitality and reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing cooperation between the Bars of the two countries through the exchange of knowledge, professional expertise and best practices.

The Chief Justice assured the delegation of the Supreme Court’s full institutional support for initiatives aimed at strengthening legal and judicial cooperation between Pakistan and Trkiye.

The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest, with both sides reaffirming their shared commitment to continued institutional collaboration, professional capacity-building and the promotion of the rule of law through sustained engagement and mutual learning.

Islamabad: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan on Tuesday witnessed the signing of an MoU between StarCharge, StarCharge Energy Pakistan and Bahum Global Ltd to strengthen Pakistan’s electric vehicle ecosystem.

Speaking on the occasion, Khan said that the government was committed to transforming Pakistan’s transportation sector through the promotion of electric mobility adding, the forthcoming Battery Energy Storage System Policy would pave the way for an EV revolution in Pakistan by encouraging local manufacturing, attracting foreign investment, and creating a sustainable industrial ecosystem.

He emphasized that the transition to electric vehicles will significantly reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported petroleum products, helping lower the country’s import bill while promoting environmental sustainability and energy security.

The SAPM said the government was facilitating the establishment of EV charging infrastructure across the country to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles. He said that the expansion of charging stations will make electric mobility more accessible and convenient for consumers.

Khan described electric vehicles as the future of transportation and a key driver of Pakistan’s industrial transformation. He said that strategic partnerships with leading Chinese companies would facilitate the local manufacturing of EV batteries, promote technology transfer, strengthen domestic industrial capabilities, and generate employment opportunities for Pakistani youth.

He further stated that Pakistan and China continue to deepen their industrial cooperation, particularly in advanced manufacturing and clean energy technologies, which will contribute to the country’s long-term economic development and industrial competitiveness.

The SAPM reiterated the government’s resolve to create a business-friendly environment that encourages innovation, investment, and value-added manufacturing. He said the Prime Minister’s vision is to transform Pakistan into a regional manufacturing hub by supporting industries that create jobs, enhance exports, and promote technological advancement.

The ceremony was attended by Secretary for Industries and Production, Saif Anjum, Joint Secretary Freedoon Akram Sheikh, government officials, representatives of StarCharge, StarCharge Energy Pakistan, Bahum Global Ltd, members of the business community, and other distinguished guests.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM), Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, will lead Pakistan’s delegation at the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting, to be held in Manila, Philippines, on 23 July 2026.

This high-level gathering will bring together foreign ministers and delegates from the 27 ARF member states. The Secretary-General of ASEAN will also attend the meeting, a DPM’s Office news release said.

At the ARF Ministerial Meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will participate in discussions on political and security issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, with a special focus on promoting peace, stability, and mutual cooperation through sustained dialogue and diplomacy.

The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister will also hold bilateral meetings with his Philippine counterpart and several other participating dignitaries on the sidelines of the meeting.

Established in 1994, the ARF has remained a pivotal platform for multilateral consultations on regional security issues. Since becoming a member in 2004, Pakistan has maintained an active role within the Forum, consistently offering constructive contributions to its regional programmes and objectives.

Islamabad: Pakistan could significantly strengthen its water security by harnessing nearly 83 million acre feet (MAF) of monsoon rainfall through improved rainwater harvesting and expanded water storage infrastructure, experts told Wealth Pakistan.

They said the country’s vast untapped monsoon water potential could help replenish groundwater reserves, support agriculture and reduce flood risks.

Pakistan normally receives around 111 MAF of rainfall annually, of which nearly 83 MAF falls during the monsoon season. However, only about 14 MAF is currently stored in major reservoirs, including Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma, highlighting the urgent need to expand water storage and conservation measures.

Talking to Wealth Pakistan, Director of the Irrigation Research Institute Punjab, Dr Ghulam Zakir Hassan Sial said Pakistan could substantially improve water availability by adopting a combination of centralized and decentralized water storage solutions.

He said recharge basins, recharge ponds, recharge wells, check dams, flood spreading basins and injection wells were among the most effective techniques for conserving monsoon rainwater and replenishing groundwater resources.

While large dams remained vital for long term water storage, he said adding, Pakistan should also prioritize the construction of small and medium sized dams, hill torrent dams and delay action dams to capture rainwater that would otherwise be lost, he added.

Dr. Sial said major urban centres, including Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi, offer significant opportunities for rooftop rainwater harvesting, underground storage tanks and recharge pits that could help replenish depleted aquifers.

He warned that rapid urbanization has expanded roads and concrete surfaces, causing rainwater to flow quickly into storm drains instead of naturally recharging groundwater reserves.

Expanding rainwater harvesting infrastructure would not only improve groundwater availability but also help mitigate urban flooding, he added.

Director Water Resources at Word Wide Fund Pakistan, Sohail Ali Naqvi told Wealth Pakistan that Pakistan has tremendous potential to store floodwater in natural floodplains alongside engineered infrastructure such as dams, which provided large scale water storage, flow regulation and hydropower generation.

He said Pakistan extracted more than 55 MAF of groundwater annually for agricultural, domestic and commercial use, creating substantial opportunities to replenish depleted aquifers through managed recharge techniques.

Mr. Naqvi said floodwater could be diverted to floodplains, allowing it to infiltrate underground aquifers and strengthen groundwater reserves for future use.

One of the most effective managed aquifer recharge techniques was the use of artificial recharge wells introduced by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources and promoted by several institutions, including WWF Pakistan, in cities across Punjab.

He emphasized that maximizing the use of rainwater, surface water and groundwater has become increasingly important amid growing uncertainty over transboundary water resources.

The monsoon season, he said, offering Pakistan an ideal opportunity to augment water supplies for agriculture and other sectors while building long term water resilience.

Islamabad: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi, on Tuesday welcomed Mohammad Naciri, Chief of Staff, United Nations (UN) Women, at the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP).

He was accompanied by Jamshed M. Kazi, Country Representative, and Fahmida Iqbal Khan, Deputy Country Representative, UN Women Pakistan.

The meeting reaffirmed the longstanding partnership between the Supreme Court of Pakistan and UN Women in advancing gender-responsive justice, strengthening institutional capacity, and improving access to justice, particularly for women and other vulnerable segments of society.

The Chief Justice briefed the delegation on the judiciary’s ongoing reform agenda aimed at building a citizen-centric, technology-enabled, transparent, and efficient justice system. He highlighted the Gender-Responsive Justice Initiative (GRJI) 2026-27, under which Women Facilitation Centres were being established to provide integrated support services under one roof for women litigants and court users.

The delegation was also apprised of broader reforms focused on improving accessibility, efficiency, transparency, and public confidence in the administration of justice through institutional modernization and technology-enabled service delivery.

The Chief Justice also discussed support for the use of AI in case management for an effective justice system. The Chief of Staff, UN Women, assured support to extend technical assistance for gender responsive AI case management.

Mohammad Naciri appreciated the judiciary’s commitment to advancing gender-responsive justice and welcomed the establishment of Women Facilitation Centres as a significant institutional initiative. He observed that institutional and practical barriers often discourage women from seeking legal remedies and noted that the provision of integrated support services under one roof would substantially improve women’s access to justice and facilitate the effective realization of their legal rights.

Naciri reaffirmed UN Women’s continued commitment to supporting Pakistan’s justice sector in advancing gender-responsive reforms, strengthening institutional capacity, and expanding women’s access to justice. Both sides expressed confidence that continued collaboration would further promote inclusive justice, women’s empowerment, and the rule of law in line with the International Standards.

The Chief Justice presented a souvenir to Mr. Mohammad Naciri as a gesture of goodwill. The meeting concluded in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the shared commitment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and UN Women to strengthening cooperation in support of an inclusive, accessible, and people-centered justice system.