Day: July 22, 2026

Islamabad: Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) organized the third open House and innovation showcase, titled “ComputeX 2026” through its Department of Computer Science, providing a vibrant platform for students to present their cutting-edge projects and innovative ideas in emerging technologies.

The event featured a wide range of student-developed projects in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, software development, programming, cybersecurity, data science, web and mobile applications and other advanced computing disciplines.

The exhibits reflected the students’ technical expertise, research capabilities and innovative approaches to addressing real-world challenges through technology.

The exhibition was inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr Nasir Mahmood in the presence of the University’s deans, faculty members, academicians from various universities, researchers, students, representatives of industry and professionals from the technology sector.

During his visit to the exhibition, the Vice Chancellor toured various project stalls, reviewed software applications and technology-driven solutions developed by students and interacted with the participants.

Appreciating their creativity, technical competence and innovative thinking, he emphasized that commercializing students’ innovations and connecting them with the market is the need of the hour.

He directed the relevant departments to further refine the projects, align them with industry requirements and facilitate their commercialization so that these innovations could evolve into practical, sustainable and market-oriented solutions capable of benefiting society and contributing to the national economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Dr Nasir Mahmood said that Allama Iqbal Open University is committed to fostering a culture of research, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship by providing students with a conducive academic environment and opportunities to transform their ideas into practical solutions.

He further remarked that Pakistan’s youth possess immense creative potential and that with proper guidance, mentorship and encouragement, they can emerge as future scientists, engineers, software developers, entrepreneurs and technology leaders capable of representing Pakistan with distinction on the global stage.

The Vice Chancellor reiterated the University’s resolve to continue organizing such academic and technological events that encourage innovation, strengthen industry-academia collaboration and prepare students to meet the challenges of the rapidly evolving digital world.

ComputeX 2026 attracted considerable interest from participants and visitors, who highly appreciated the quality and diversity of the projects on display.

They observed that such initiatives play a vital role in promoting research and innovation while strengthening collaboration between higher education institutions and the technology industry.

In addition to the innovation showcase, the event featured a series of student competitions, including a programming contest, a computing knowledge quiz, a digital poster design competition and e-gaming competitions.

Students participated enthusiastically, demonstrating their technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities and creative skills.

The successful organization of ComputeX 2026 reaffirmed AIOU’s commitment to nurturing innovation-driven learning and equipping students with the knowledge and practical skills required to excel in the era of digital transformation.

Islamabad: The Federal Constitutional Court has ruled that final decisions rendered by competent authorities under the Land Reforms Regulation of 1972 cannot be reopened decades later through an administrative order.

Declaring the Federal Land Commission Chairman’s August 22, 1996 order-issued after a lapse of 24 years-illegal, the court clarified that land restored on the basis of legally finalized decisions cannot be taken back from its original owners.

A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court Justice Amin-Ud-Din Khan, accepted the civil appeals while setting aside the August 22, 1996 order of the Federal Land Commission Chairman, the Lahore High Court’s ruling, and the subsequent mutation.

In a detailed 25-page judgment authored by Chief Justice Amin-Up-Din Khan, the court noted that the decisions issued by the Deputy Land Commissioner and the Land Commissioner in 1972 were never challenged before any higher legal forum. Consequently, they had attained finality, leaving no legal justification to reopen or alter them.

The court observed that the proceedings initiated by the Federal Land Commission in 1977 were strictly limited to determining whether Mst. Hshmat Habib-ur-Rahman owned additional agricultural land in another district. The purpose or effect of those proceedings was neither to reopen nor to nullify the final confiscation orders of 1972.

The ruling stated that the Federal Land Commission Chairman, operating on the presumption that Mst. Hshmat Habib-ur-Rahman and her husband were separate declarants, issued an order contrary to the final 1972 decisions-despite the fact that this very plea had been rejected by competent authorities back in 1972 and was never legally challenged.

The Federal Constitutional Court further ruled that disputes concerning land ownership or benami transactions cannot be adjudicated through administrative proceedings, particularly in matters that have already been settled conclusively under the law.

The bench noted that the appellants had been cultivating the disputed land as tenants since 1971. As official tenants under the Land Reforms Regulation of 1972, they had acquired a legal right to have their land allotment considered, which could not be stripped away through subsequent illegal administrative actions.

Concluding the judgment, the court held that the Federal Land Commission Chairman exceeded his legal authority by reopening a matter after more than two decades that had already attained legal finality. Therefore, the order dated August 22, 1996, ran counter to the Land Reforms Regulation 1972 and established principles of finality, and could not be sustained.

Islamabad: Marking the International Day of Judicial Wellbeing, a National Conference on Judicial Wellbeing will be held on Saturday, July 25, at the Supreme Court of Pakistan auditorium, under the auspices of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan and the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC).

The conference is scheduled to commence at 10:00 AM. Its primary objective is to highlight and acknowledge the vital role played by the district judiciary in delivering justice to the public.

Eminent judicial figures, judges, legal experts, and other relevant stakeholders will participate in the event to deliberate on various aspects relating to judicial wellbeing, institutional support, and the promotion of an effective justice system.

Islamabad: The National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) on Tuesday approved, in principle, a National Judicial Reform Framework aligned with the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index to introduce evidence-based reforms aimed at strengthening accessibility, transparency and predictability in Pakistan’s judicial system through measurable performance standards, internationally recognized benchmarks and continuous performance evaluation.

The decision was taken at the 61st meeting of the NJPMC, chaired by the Chief Justice of Pakistan at the Supreme Court.

The meeting was attended by the chief justices of the high courts, while the federal minister for law and justice and the law secretary participated on special invitation.

Representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association also attended to ensure an inclusive policy-making process.

The committee resolved that the high courts may adopt the National Judicial Reform Framework along with the Self-Assessment Checklist of the International Framework for Court Excellence (IFCE), with necessary modifications. It directed the high courts to establish institutional mechanisms for periodic assessment and submit quarterly reports on reform progress.

The committee also decided that the Secretariat of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), in coordination with the Ministry of Law and Justice, would establish a dedicated cell to map reforms under the framework and present its progress at the next NJPMC meeting scheduled for October 8, 2026.

The LJCP Secretariat was further tasked with identifying and validating appropriate rule of law indicators, in consultation with the high courts and other justice sector institutions, for phased integration into the National Judicial Analytics Dashboard (NJAD). In collaboration with the National Information Technology Board (NITB), it will also develop a technology platform for periodic progress reports, coordinate capacity-building initiatives and conduct annual assessments of Pakistan’s performance in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index.

The committee observed that judicial reforms should increasingly be driven by objective data, measurable outcomes and internationally accepted standards to strengthen institutional performance, improve public confidence and ensure better delivery of justice.

The meeting also reviewed progress on the federal government’s proposed Commission on Enforced Disappearances.

The federal law minister informed the committee that former Supreme Court judges were being considered to head the commission and said its composition and terms of reference would be finalized soon. The committee appreciated the progress and stressed strict compliance with legal requirements for producing detained persons before competent courts within the prescribed time.

The meeting concluded with the committee reaffirming its commitment to sustained judicial reforms, stronger institutional coordination and improved access to justice through innovation, evidence-based governance and technology-enabled service delivery.

Islamabad: The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) on Tuesday issued a power suspension programme for Wednesday in various areas of its region due to necessary maintenance and routine development work.

According to an IESCO spokesperson, in Islamabad Circle, electricity supply will remain suspended from 5 am to 11 am, Taramari, from 8 am to 12 pm, Pir Sohawa, feeders. In Rawalpindi City Circle, power supply will remain suspended from 6 am to 10 am, EME Complex, Jhangi, PandT Wani, Azharabad, CWO, feeders.

Similarly, in Attock Circle, electricity supply will remain suspend from 5 am to 11 am, Bahtar More, P. Small Industrial, Kohistan Enclave, Kashif Gull, Model Town, Mix Industry, from 6 am to 10 am, Katchery, Dar ul Islam Colony, Attock Cantt, Dhoke Fateh, Feeders.

In Jehlum Circle, power supply will remain suspended from 6 am to 10 am, Chapper Sharif, City Housing, Sanghoi, Safdar Shaheed, Nathwala, Langarpur, Saeela, Pakhwal, Jakkar, F-9 (Chak Daulat), feeders.

In GSO Circle, power supply will remain suspended from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm, 132kv AWC HMC Taxila and 132KV Sangjani-Burhan, from 08:00 am to 06:00 pm, 132KV Kahuta City- Palandri, 132KV New Wah-Bahtermore along with related earth switch, and surrounding areas.

IESCO apologized to consumers for the temporary inconvenience and said electricity supply would be restored before the scheduled time if the maintenance work was completed earlier than expected.

Islamabad: The Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court has rejected an appeal against the death sentence of a convict involved in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in Karachi’s Landhi area, while upholding the verdicts of the trial court and the High Court.

A five-member Shariat Appellate Bench, headed by Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, heard the appeal.

During the proceedings, the counsel for the convict argued that neither was his client’s DNA test conducted nor were his fingerprints collected.

Justice Shahzad Ahmed Malik remarked that an 11-year-old girl was subjected to rape and subsequently murdered.

The prosecution counsel informed the court that the convict was a friend of the victim’s father. Upon this, Justice Shahzad Ahmed Malik remarked that the culprit probably thought no one would ever suspect him.

During the hearing, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail shared that he once visited the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory, where he learned about a murder case that triggered protests; however, the person shouting the loudest in the procession ultimately turned out to be the accused. He added that Allah is the dispenser of justice and the rightful person receives justice in the end.

Justice Shahzad Ahmed Malik stated that he too had witnessed an incident where the victim’s friends attended the funeral and subsequent prayers, only for it to be revealed later that they were the killers.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail observed that a murder can be committed with a single bullet, yet their duty as judges is not to be emotional, but to deliver verdicts in accordance with the law.

Justice Shahzad Ahmed Malik noted that a young girl was subjected to extreme brutality in this case, prompting Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail to remark, “If capital punishment is not awarded in this case, then in which case should it be?”

Upon concluding the arguments, the court dismissed the convict Gohar’s appeal against his death sentence and ordered that the capital punishment remain intact.

According to the prosecution, the First Information Report (FIR) of the incident was registered on February 28, 2005, in Landhi, Karachi. The trial court had handed down the death sentence to the convict, which was later upheld by the Sindh High Court.