Day: July 25, 2026

Islamabad: A delegation of senior academicians and business leaders on Friday visited the office of Freedom Gate Prosperity (FGP) to learn about the organization’s initiatives on entrepreneurship promotion, knowledge sharing, and economic empowerment, and to explore opportunities for future collaboration in these areas.

The delegation, led by Arshad Saeed Khan, M.H. Mujahid, and Mushtaq Khan, held an interactive session with the FGP team. Muhammad Anwar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) FGP, while briefing the participants on the organization’s work, said that FGP was working to promote entrepreneurship development, youth and women’s economic empowerment, advocacy, and innovation-driven development. He said empowering individuals through knowledge, practical skills, and collaborative partnerships was essential for building a resilient and prosperous society.

During the session, the participants were introduced to FGP’s publications, including “An Introduction to Entrepreneurship, ” which provided practical guidance for aspiring entrepreneurs to transform ideas into sustainable business ventures.

The delegation was also briefed on Rights and Voices, FGP’s digital platform developed to promote awareness of constitutional rights and civic responsibilities. The participants appreciated the initiative and described it as an innovative step towards strengthening civic awareness, particularly among young people, through accessible digital technology.

The visiting delegation also appreciated FGP’s integrated approach of combining research, policy dialogue, entrepreneurship promotion and digital innovation. They emphasized the importance of closer collaboration between academia, the business community and development organizations to expand knowledge exchange, innovation and inclusive economic growth.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to explore future cooperation in entrepreneurship promotion, capacity building, public awareness and youth empowerment initiatives.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to providing full resources for the development and prosperity of Balochistan and said all provinces must progress equally for the country to move forward.

Addressing participants of the “National Workshop Balochistan” here, the prime minister said the Rs300 billion project for a dual carriageway from Karachi to Chaman would be completed within the next one and a half to two years.

He said Punjab had contributed Rs150 billion to Balochistan under the NFC Award, while other provinces had also played their part in the province’s development.

He said Balochistan’s quota for laptops and scholarships had been increased by 10 percent, and the Kachhi Canal project would be completed on a priority basis. He said the solution to Pakistan’s problems lay in a transparent system of governance.

The prime minister said India was behind terrorism in Pakistan, and the country needed to confront this challenge collectively. He said Pakistan had tried to convince Afghanistan to take action against terrorist organisations and prevent its soil from being used against Pakistan.

The prime minister said Islamabad was home to people from all four provinces and welcomed the sons and daughters of Balochistan. He said Balochistan was the largest province of the country by area and its Baloch and Pashtun people had played a key role in the creation of Pakistan, with several princely states voluntarily joining Pakistan in 1947 and 1948.

He said although Balochistan was the smallest province by population, it was the largest by area, and its scattered towns and long distances required comparatively more resources for development. He said this was recognised in the 2010 NFC Award, when the other three provinces, particularly Punjab, voluntarily agreed to a 100 percent increase in Balochistan’s financial share, with Punjab providing 11 billion rupees annually since then, amounting to 150 billion rupees to date.

The prime minister said nearly 27, 000 tube wells in Balochistan had been shifted to solar energy under a 75 billion rupee project, of which the federal government provided 50 billion rupees. He said the N-25 highway from Karachi to Chaman, long known for frequent accidents, was being converted into a dual carriageway using savings from reduced oil prices, and the route would become a road of peace once completed.

Referring to the killing of Mastung Sessions Judge Abdul Hakeem, the prime minister expressed grief and prayed for the deceased and his family. He said around 90, 000 Pakistanis had been martyred in the fight against terrorism, and that terrorism had resurfaced after being largely eliminated by 2017-18 due to an organised conspiracy. He said Pakistan shared a nearly 2, 000 kilometre border with Afghanistan and had repeatedly urged the Afghan interim government to act against terrorist groups operating from its soil, but it had failed to do so.

The prime minister said the armed forces and law enforcement agencies were making sacrifices for the country’s security, and that India had suffered a decisive defeat in a recent four day conflict. He said Pakistan’s diplomacy had also played a key role in restoring regional peace, earning the country international respect.

During a question and answer session, the prime minister said corruption in the FBR was depriving the national exchequer of resources, worsening poverty and forcing the country to rely on loans. He said 800 billion rupees were collected last year through sales tax and other indirect taxes, the highest ever collected, adding that only hard work, honesty and integrity, not shortcuts, could bring progress, citing Japan and Germany as examples.

On a question about the Kachhi Canal, the prime minister said 368 billion rupees had been allocated in the current budget for water reservoir projects, including the Kachhi Canal, and suggested it be renamed the Pakistan Canal.

Responding to a student from Chaghi district, Khalida Yousuf, the prime minister said he was proud of her and recalled distributing laptops to meritorious students during his tenure as Punjab chief minister, saying it was better to put laptops in the hands of youth than weapons. He said lakhs of laptops had been distributed nationwide, including one lakh last year on merit, with Balochistan’s quota higher than other provinces. He added that nine Danish Schools were being built in Balochistan with free education for poor and orphan children.

The prime minister said the people of Quetta, Kalat and Chaman would only feel satisfied once they saw the federal and provincial governments working together for Balochistan’s development in the same way as for Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. He assured that resources for the province’s development, prosperity, education and healthcare would be ensured, and vowed to make Pakistan one of the most powerful nations in the world.

Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik and Minister of State for Finance and Revenue Bilal Azhar Kayani were among those present.

Islamabad: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) on Friday announced that its key online tax services will remain temporarily unavailable from 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 8, 2026, until 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, due to a planned system maintenance activity.

According to an FBR announcement, the services that will remain unavailable during the maintenance period include IRIS, Digital Invoicing (DI), the Payment System, Synchronized Withholding Administration and Payment System (SWAPS), and POS Registration.

The FBR said taxpayers and other users would not be able to access these platforms or carry out related transactions during the scheduled maintenance window.

It advised taxpayers and all stakeholders to plan their tax-related activities accordingly and complete all time-sensitive filings, tax payments, registrations and other online transactions well before the commencement of the maintenance period to avoid any inconvenience.

The Board said all affected services are expected to resume immediately after the successful completion of the maintenance activity.

The FBR also expressed regret over the temporary inconvenience and thanked taxpayers and stakeholders for their cooperation and understanding.

Islamabad: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan has expressed the government’s full support for the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (ICCI) initiative to organize the Pakistan-Trkiye Business Opportunity Conference (BoC) in Istanbul on August 13, 2026 describing it as a landmark step towards strengthening bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation between the two brotherly countries.

He made these remarks during a meeting with an ICCI delegation led by its President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, said a press release issued here on Friday.

Haroon Akhtar Khan highly appreciated ICCI’s initiative to hold the Business Opportunity Conference in Istanbul on August 13, 2026, saying it reflects the private sector’s proactive role in promoting economic diplomacy and building stronger commercial ties with Trkiye.

He confirmed his participation in the conference and announced that the Government would extend full facilitation to ensure the success of the initiative.

The SAPM stated that the government is committed to creating a business-friendly environment and gradually reducing the corporate tax rate to 25 percent as part of broader economic reforms aimed at attracting investment, enhancing industrial competitiveness and accelerating sustainable economic growth.

He noted that the Prime Minister’s vision is focused on reducing the cost of doing business, encouraging private sector investment and strengthening Pakistan’s industrial base.

Haroon Akhtar Khan added that enhanced rail and transport links with Central Asia would further strengthen Pakistan’s role as a regional trade hub by proposing that ICCI should also organize future business delegations to other key international markets, including the United Kingdom, assuring full Government support for such initiatives.

Speaking on the occasion, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood thanked the SAPM for his encouragement and support for the Pakistan-Trkiye Business Opportunity Conference.

He said that the conference would provide an effective platform for business leaders, investors and policymakers from both countries to establish partnerships, promote joint ventures and expand bilateral trade.

Sardar Tahir Mehmood also highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan’s real estate and construction sector, noting that it supports around 50 allied industries and plays a vital role in economic growth.

Humayoun Akhtar Khan assured the delegation that he would personally take up the matter with the Prime Minister and advocate practical relief measures for the real estate and construction industry.

Islamabad: Minister of State for Interior Senator Talal Chaudhry on Friday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would secure public support on the basis of its performance, development initiatives, and service delivery.

Speaking to a private television channel, he said the PML-N had made significant investments in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to improve public welfare.

He added that the party had taken its development-focused agenda to AJK to convince voters ahead of the upcoming elections, which he said should be conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.

Highlighting the Punjab government’s performance, he said the chief minister had effectively utilized public funds for welfare and development projects, setting Punjab apart from other provinces in terms of governance and public service.

Criticizing the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he alleged that despite governing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for many years, PTI had failed to effectively address key challenges, including governance, security, and infrastructure.

He said Pakistan had earned international recognition for its efforts in promoting dialogue and diplomacy, adding that enhanced foreign investment would contribute to the country’s economic growth and development.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb here on Friday stressed that drug pricing decisions should be transparent, evidence-based and made through a consultative process, emphasizing the need to balance affordable access to essential medicines with the sustainability of pharmaceutical supplies.

Chairing the 8th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Drug Pricing, the finance minister said all pricing decisions should be guided by the broader public interest while ensuring that patients continued to have access to life-saving medicines at affordable prices.

The committee reviewed recommendations submitted by the Drug Pricing Committee and the Policy Board of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), including proposals on new drug price fixation, hardship applications, pricing matters and the availability of essential medicines. Members were also briefed on progress made since the previous meeting.

Aurangzeb also underscored the importance of effective public engagement to clearly explain the rationale behind decisions related to critical medicines, aiming to enhance transparency and public confidence in the pricing mechanism.

the meeting was attended by Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, Mustafa Kamal; Federal Minister for Defence Production, Muhammad Raza Hayat Harraj, senior officials from the National Health Services Ministry, DRAP, and representatives of the Commerce and Finance Divisions.