Day: July 23, 2026

Islamabad: Iran’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Mehran Ghorbani and Deputy Minister of Interior for Economic Affairs, Mehdi Dousti here on Wednesday called on Minister of State for Finance and Railways, Bilal Azhar Kayani.

The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, including economic cooperation, trade and connectivity, according to a press release issued by finance ministry here.

Secretary Commerce, Member Customs Operations at FBR, Secretary SIFC, Special Secretary Petroleum, Deputy Governor SBP, and officials from the Ministry of Communications and Ministry of Railways also participated in the meeting.

Islamabad: Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, met at Parliament Lodges, to review issues relating to former Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) employees, delayed development projects, and other matters concerning the Ministry of Housing and Works.

Reviewing the status of former Pak PWD employees adjusted in various ministries and departments, the Committee expressed serious concern over delays in the payment of salaries and arrears by the respective ministries and departments, despite their adjustment.

Officials informed the Committee that a total of 20,024 former Pak PWD employees had been adjusted in various ministries and departments. Of these, salaries of 3,094 employees had been released, while cases of around 30 employees were still pending, including 14 employees in the Ministry of Planning, 9 employees in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and the remaining in other departments.

Chairman Senator Nasir Mehmood directed the officials not to mislead the Committee with repeated assurances and stressed that commitments made before the Committee must be honoured through practical implementation.

Officials informed the Committee that employees were affected by the closure of department and that the majority had been adjusted in various ministries and departments. However, several employees are still awaiting payment of salaries and arrears.

Officials from the Ministry of Finance informed the Committee that following the revised funding mechanism introduced from 1 July 2025, letters had been issued to the relevant ministries and departments for clearance of outstanding salary arrears., However, employees informed the Committee that while they had been adjusted in different ministries, several departments had neither released their salaries nor cleared their outstanding dues.

The Committee directed all concerned ministries and departments to ensure immediate payment of salaries and arrears to adjusted employees and remove unnecessary delays in processing their cases.

During the meeting, Senator Naseema Ehsan highlighted the difficulties being faced by widows and families of deceased employees and urged the concerned authorities to resolve their cases on priority. The Committee unanimously recommended that all outstanding arrears of adjusted employees be cleared at the earliest.

The Committee then reviewed the status of the Green Enclave-I Housing Project, expressing serious concern over prolonged delays, cost escalation, and the continued hardship faced by allottees.

Officials of FGEHA informed the Committee that the project had suffered delays due to litigation, NAB inquiries, land-related disputes, bank guarantee issues, the impact of COVID-19 on construction costs, and subsequent contractual complications. They informed the Committee that work on the project had resumed and that several pending issues would be placed before the Authority’s Board for final decisions.

Chairman Senator Nasir Mehmood questioned the prolonged continuation of contractual arrangements despite years of delay and observed that thousands of citizens, particularly retired government employees, had invested in the project in good faith and deserved timely delivery.

The Committee directed that Contractor Dr. Hafeez Abbasi be summoned in the next meeting to explain the delays and stressed that all stakeholders must cooperate to ensure early completion of the project.

The Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, informed the Committee that the Ministry had initiated reforms to resolve longstanding issues in housing projects and had placed restrictions on launching new schemes until ongoing projects are completed.

The Committee also reviewed the replacement and repair of lifts at the Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat. Members expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work and directed the concerned authorities to complete the project within the committed timeframe. The Committee decided to conduct an on-site visit to monitor progress after a month.

The Committee also reviewed the progress of the Model Jail project. Members were informed by the CDA Chairman that the first phase of the project had been approved and was nearing completion, while the proposal for Phase-II, which includes dedicated facilities for women, had already been submitted. Officials expressed the hope that the remaining work would be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

During the discussion, the Committee expressed concern over delays in the implementation of the project. The Chairman directed the concerned authorities to expedite the pace of work and announced that the Committee would undertake a visit on 22 August to review the project’s progress on-site.

The Committee also reviewed the performance of the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA). The Chairman observed that none of the Authority’s projects had been completed within the prescribed timeline and stressed that ongoing projects should be completed before launching new ones. The Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Works, informed the Committee that a ban had been imposed on initiating new projects until the existing schemes are completed.

Concluding the meeting, Chairman Senator Nasir Mehmood directed all relevant ministries and departments to implement the Committee’s recommendations without delay and present a comprehensive progress report in the next meeting.

Islamabad: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Vice President, Senator Sherry Rehman on Wednesday commended the security forces for successfully eliminating 10 terrorists and arresting two female suicide bombers during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan.

In a statement issued here, she said the security forces had thwarted the nefarious designs of terrorists through their professionalism, bravery and timely action.

“The entire nation salutes the sacrifices, courage and unwavering resolve of our security forces in the fight against terrorism,” she added.

Sherry Rehman emphasized that there was no room for terrorism or terrorist elements on the soil of Pakistan, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to eradicating the menace of extremism.

She said the sacrifices rendered by the country’s security forces in the fight against terrorism were a source of pride for the nation and would always be remembered with gratitude.

The PPP leader added that the entire nation stood united with the security forces against terrorism and remained firmly committed to achieving lasting peace, stability and a secure Pakistan.

She reaffirmed that collective national resolve was essential to defeating terrorism and safeguarding the country’s future.

Islamabad: Chairman Board of Governors (BoG) of Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) University and Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar Wednesday urged young engineers and scientists to capitalize on emerging opportunities in research, innovation and advanced technologies to help build a knowledge-based, innovative and self-reliant Pakistan.

Addressing the 12th Convocation of PIEAS at the Inam-ur-Rehman Auditorium, he congratulated the graduating students on their academic achievements and advised them to embrace unprecedented opportunities available in science and technology.

“Today, our young engineers and scientists have access to opportunities and platforms that previous generations could only dream of. I urge you to seize these opportunities and contribute towards building a knowledge-based, innovative and self-reliant Pakistan,” he said.

The convocation, held under the auspices of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), was attended by Scientist Emeritus Dr. Inam-ur-Rehman (SI), members of the Commission, director generals, directors, distinguished faculty members, graduates and their families.

Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar, who was the chief guest, conferred degrees upon 270 graduates in various disciplines of engineering and applied sciences, including Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Metallurgy Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, and Computer and Information Sciences.

Expressing satisfaction over the growing participation of women in higher education, the chairman said female graduates constituted a significant proportion of this year’s graduating class, reflecting the expanding role of Pakistani women in science, engineering and emerging technologies. He said their achievements demonstrated that the country’s daughters were making remarkable contributions to scientific advancement and playing an increasingly important role in national development.

Highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship and practical learning, he encouraged graduates not to limit their ambitions to seeking employment alone but to become job creators through entrepreneurship.

Emphasizing the pivotal role of science and technology in national development, Dr. Raja Ali Raza Anwar reaffirmed PAEC’s commitment to strengthening higher education, advanced research and human resource development through institutions such as PIEAS.

“The future of Pakistan depends on the knowledge, character and commitment of its young professionals. Wherever life takes you, serve your country with honesty, uphold its dignity, and become true ambassadors of Pakistan through your conduct,” he said, urging graduates to uphold excellence, integrity and dignity throughout their professional careers.

Earlier, Rector PIEAS Dr. Anila Usman welcomed the participants, congratulated the graduating students and thanked the chairman of the Board of Governors and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission for their continued support of the university.

She highlighted the outstanding employability and industry readiness of PIEAS graduates and said that in the recently released QS World University Rankings 2027, PIEAS had been ranked third among Pakistani universities while improving its global position to 560th among the world’s top universities.

“PIEAS remains committed to preparing future scientists and engineers through excellence in education, impactful research, and meaningful engagement with industry, enabling them to contribute effectively to Pakistan’s scientific and technological progress,” she said.

Recognized among Pakistan’s leading institutions of higher education, PIEAS continues to promote excellence in engineering, applied sciences and technology through quality education, cutting-edge research, innovation and strong academia-industry collaboration. With the continued support of PAEC, the university remains committed to producing highly skilled scientists, engineers and researchers who contribute to Pakistan’s scientific advancement and socio-economic development.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday held a productive meeting with ADB Vice President (South, Central and West Asia) Yingming Yang, ADB Vice President (Sectors and Themes) Fatima Yasmin, ADB Director Generals and officials, along with Executive Director for Pakistan, Nashita Mohsin, at the Asian Development Bank Headquarters in Manila.

The two sides reaffirmed their more than six-decade-long Pakistan-ADB partnership and explored ways to strengthen further cooperation in infrastructure, climate resilience, regional connectivity, and sustainable economic growth.

The DPM/FM appreciated ADB’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s development priorities and underscored the importance of continued collaboration, a news release issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson said.

The deputy prime minister highlighted the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project as one of the Government’s flagship infrastructure initiatives and a priority of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

He emphasized ADB’s continued support in leading the consortium lending for this project and requested an expedited processing timeline.

The ADB Vice Presidents reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to working closely with Pakistan to advance the project, recognizing its transformative role in modernizing Pakistan’s railway network, strengthening connectivity, and supporting sustainable economic growth.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Tariq Bajwa, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Asima Rabbani, and senior officials from both sides also attended the meeting.

Islamabad: The Chief Election Commissioner of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Mustafa Mughal Wednesday said that the region’s general elections will be held in three phases to ensure a peaceful, orderly, and transparent voting process.

He said that polling will take place in Mirpur on July 27, followed by Muzaffarabad on August 2, and Poonch on August 10.

While speaking to a private news channel, he said that the results for each district will be announced separately in accordance with the phased polling schedule.