Day: July 25, 2026

Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that all cases relating to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) would henceforth be heard by the Federal Constitutional Court following amendments to the NAB law.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar announced the short order in open court.

The judgment stated that after the amendments to the National Accountability Ordinance, the Supreme Court no longer had jurisdiction to hear NAB-related cases and that all such matters stood transferred to the Federal Constitutional Court.

The court held that under Article 175 of the Constitution and Sections 32 and 32A of the National Accountability Ordinance, the Federal Constitutional Court was the competent forum to hear all NAB-related cases.

The Supreme Court upheld the stance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the federal government, declaring that the petitions fell within the jurisdiction of the Federal Constitutional Court.

The court had reserved its verdict on July 16 after hearing detailed arguments from all parties and announced the decision on Friday.

Islamabad: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has officially launched the National Under-15 Hockey Registration Portal as part of its grassroots development initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing young hockey talent across the country.

The federation has urged school principals nationwide to register their institutions on the portal and encourage students under the age of 15 to enroll. Registered schools will become part of the National U-15 Hockey Development Programme.

The registration drive will help create Pakistan’s first comprehensive national database of Under-15 hockey players, enabling the PHF to identify emerging talent and implement structured development plans at the grassroots level.

Under the programme, the PHF will appoint trained and certified coaches at the district level to support participating schools, conduct coaching sessions and help improve players’ skills. Selected schools may also receive sports equipment and hockey kits.

The programme will culminate in the National Under-15 Hockey Championship, scheduled to be held later this year or early next year. Outstanding performers from the championship will be selected for the Pakistan National Under-15 Hockey Team to represent the country in international competitions.

The PHF has called upon schools, students, parents and hockey enthusiasts to actively participate in the initiative and contribute to the revival and long-term development of the country’s national game.

The registration portal is available at https://nationalhockeyportal.com.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik on Friday held separate meetings with representatives of leading international energy companies to discuss investment opportunities in Pakistan’s energy and critical minerals sectors.

In the first meeting, the Minister met with Gregory Bloom, President of Morgan Hughes Energy, a U.S.-based energy company, and Ahmad Waleed, CEO of Tejara Capital. The discussions focused on expanding U.S. investment in Pakistan’s energy and critical minerals sectors, said a news release.

Bloom highlighted the potential of Balochistan for critical minerals development and said that Morgan Hughes Energy and Tejara Capital are partnering to pursue minerals projects while also exploring opportunities in Pakistan’s oil and gas sector, particularly in field optimisation to enhance production from existing assets.

Ali Pervaiz Malik welcomed their interest, reaffirming the government’s commitment to increasing indigenous energy production and facilitating responsible international investment through close collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

In a separate meeting, the Minister met with Kieran Gallagher, CEO of Vitol Asia, and his team to discuss ongoing cooperation in Pakistan’s petroleum sector.

He congratulated Vitol on the successful commencement of bunkering operations at Gwadar and welcomed the company’s proposal to convert High Sulphur Fuel Oil (HSFO) into Very Light Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO), assuring full Government support for the project.

The meeting also reviewed opportunities under Pakistan’s newly introduced bonded storage policy.

The Minister noted that discussions on bonded storage infrastructure are underway with leading global energy companies, including Vitol, as part of the Government’s efforts to strengthen energy logistics, expand strategic storage capacity, and attract greater international investment.

Both meetings reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening global energy partnerships, attracting foreign investment, and advancing long-term energy security and economic growth.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, and President Pakistan Muslim League-(Nawaz) (PML-N)Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Engineer Amir Muqam on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a security check post in Tank.

Engineer Amir Muqam paid tribute to the security personnel martyred in the Tank attack and said their sacrifices would always be remembered.

He said that the blood of the martyrs would never go in vain and that the entire nation stands with the bereaved families. Engineer Amir Muqam prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs, sought forgiveness for them, and prayed for patience and strength for the bereaved families.

Appreciating the effective response of the security forces, he paid tribute to them for foiling the attack and killing twelve terrorists belonging to Fitna-ul-Khawarij. He said the professional competence and bravery of the security forces had foiled the enemy’s evil intentions.

Islamabad: The foreign ministers of the eight Arab-Islamic states on Friday strongly condemned the Israeli escalation at Al-Aqsa Mosque, particularly the continued mass settlers’ incursions led by extremist Israeli ministers, into the holy place under the protection of the Israeli forces.

The foreign ministers, in a statement, also condemned the raising of the Israeli flag within courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the erection by Israeli police of two tents, and all other inflammatory acts.

The foreign ministers, who issued a joint statement, included those of Pakistan, Egypt, Trkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

They stressed that these provocative and unacceptable actions constituted a flagrant violation of international law, the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the historical and legal status quo at the holy sites in occupied East Jerusalem.

The ministers deplored and strongly condemned the illegal and extremist acts of incitement, incursions’ mobilization calls and violence by Israeli extremist ministers and groups, besides warning that these provocative actions fueled hatred and extremism, and obstructed efforts to advance a just and lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution.

They said that the restrictions on access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship coupled with discriminatory and arbitrary access restrictions to the other places of worship in the Old City constituted a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, and an unlawful attempt to alter the historical and legal status quo.

They stressed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

The foreign ministers further condemned the continued and systematic violations and measures carried out by Israel, the occupying power, aimed at altering the historical, legal, and demographic character of occupied East Jerusalem and undermining the sanctity and status of its Islamic and Christian holy sites.

They reaffirmed their categorical rejection of any attempts to alter the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its Islamic and Christian holy sites, and stress on its preservation while recognizing the special role of the historical Hashemite custodianship in this regard.

The ministers reiterated that the entire area of Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al Haram Sharif, which amounted to 144 dunams, is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims, and that the Jerusalem Endowments and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, was the legal entity with exclusive jurisdiction to administer the affairs of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Al-Sharif and to regulate entry thereto.

They called on Israel, as the occupying power, to immediately remove access restrictions to the Old City of Jerusalem, and refrain from obstructing Muslim worshippers’ access to the Mosque.

They also called on the international community to adopt a firm position that compels Israel to halt its ongoing violations and illegal practices against Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, as well as its violations of the sanctity of these holy places.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, accompanied by Director General (Textile) Mudassar Raza Siddiqi, held a meeting with a delegation of the Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA) to explore policy measures aimed at enhancing export competitiveness of Pakistan’s hand-knotted Carpet Industry in international markets.

The delegation, led by Patron In-Chief Abdul Latif Malik, Vice Chairman Riaz Ahmed and Former Vice Chairman Usman Ashraf, highlighted that the disruptions in regional trade and global supply chains were adversely impacting Carpet industry in Pakistan, said a release issued here on Friday.

The representatives underscored the need for a more facilitative business environment and regulatory assistance, highlighting that a predictable and business-friendly framework would enable the industry to sustain their current global market share while pursuing new export opportunities.

Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to promoting exports through transparent, rules-based and investor-friendly policies. He stated that the Ministry of Commerce would examine the industry’s proposals in consultation with relevant stakeholders to devise practical solutions within the existing legal and regulatory framework.

The Minister underscored that Pakistan’s long-term export strategy was focused on increasing value addition, strengthening export-led manufacturing, enhancing product branding and expanding the country’s presence in global value chains.

He encouraged the Carpet industry to diversify its export markets, improve product innovation and capitalize on Pakistan’s internationally recognized craftsmanship. The meeting also reviewed opportunities to improve trade connectivity and logistics to facilitate smoother access to international markets.

Jam Kamal Khan reiterated that the Government remained committed to working closely with the private sector to remove genuine impediments to trade and create an enabling environment for sustainable export-led growth.

The delegation appreciated the Ministry of Commerce’s constructive engagement and expressed confidence that continued public-private collaboration would contribute to the revival of Pakistan’s Carpet exports and strengthen the sector’s contribution to the national economy.