Day: July 26, 2026

Posted on

DC reviews temporary flood relief camp, orders full preparedness


Lahore: Deputy Commissioner Lahore Muhammad Ali Ejaz visited the temporary flood relief camp established at Government Higher Secondary School, Maraka, and reviewed arrangements made to facilitate residents in case of flooding, here on Saturday.



During the visit, the DC was briefed on the availability of beds, medical facilities and other essential arrangements at the camp. Officials informed him that a medical camp, safe drinking water and other basic necessities had been fully arranged, while Health Department teams had been deployed to provide medical services.



The DC directed officials to keep all facilities fully functional and maintain high standards of cleanliness and sanitation at the relief camp. He also instructed all relevant departments to strengthen coordination and remain fully prepared to respond to any flood emergency. He said the district administration was on high alert for the evacuation of residents from flood-prone areas, adding that rescue teams had been directed to remain ready at all times. Citizens would be shifted to the relief camp immediately after evacuation from affected localities, he added.



DC Muhammad Ali Ejaz said ensuring the safe evacuation of flood-affected residents to secure locations was the administration’s top priority. He added that the district administration was fully alert with all available resources to deal with any emergency and ensure the provision of the best possible medical and residential facilities at the relief camp. He further directed that the evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas be completed on a priority basis if the situation required.



Posted on

LCCI hosts seminar on enhancing Pakistan-Libya trade


Lahore: Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry hosted a seminar titled “Enhancing Pakistan-Libya Trade and Economic Cooperation”, attended by Maj-Gen (retd) Mumtaz Hussain, Ambassador-Designate of Pakistan to Libya.



The seminar was presided over by LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol. Among those present were Vice President Khuram Lodhi, Executive Committee Members Nadeem Ansari, Rana Shouban Akhtar, Waqas Aslam, and Firdos Nisar, Convener, LCCI S/C on Pakistan-Libya Trade Promotion, Muhammad Sami as well as the chamber members including Kamal Amjad Mian, Irfan Sohni, Malik Riaz Iqbal, Javed Iqbal, Amad Butt, Murtaza Nadeem, and Hafiz Muhammad Shafiq.



Addressing the participants, Maj. Gen. (Retd. ) Mumtaz Hussain, Pakistan’s Ambassador-Designate to Libya, described his new assignment as a mission to serve Pakistan by reconnecting businesses with a market that offers considerable untapped opportunities.



He emphasized that his primary role would be that of a facilitator and connector between Pakistani and Libyan stakeholders. Stressing the importance of chamber-to-chamber engagement, he encouraged organized business delegations and institutional cooperation to strengthen commercial ties.



Ambassador-Designate informed the participants that Libya presents significant opportunities despite perceptions about instability. He highlighted positive developments toward national reconciliation and noted that a market of over seven million people, with considerable purchasing power and reconstruction needs, offers promising prospects for Pakistani businesses.



Mumtaz Hussain revealed that Pakistan already maintains a strong presence in Libya through defense cooperation and expressed optimism about expanding economic engagement across multiple sectors. He also shared encouraging news that Lucky Cement is in the final stages of establishing a cement plant in Libya, describing it as a positive signal for Pakistani investment in the country.



He further pointed out the decline in Pakistani manpower in Libya from approximately 80, 000-90, 000 workers in previous years to around 15, 000-20, 000 currently. He stressed the need to reverse this trend and increase Pakistani workforce participation in the Libyan market.



Ambassador-Designate announced ambitious targets for his tenure, aiming to double Pakistan’s exports to Libya within the next two years and increase the number of Pakistani workers in Libya from approximately 20, 000 to 40, 000. He assured the business community that he would actively pursue solutions to challenges including banking channels, market access, and visa-related issues.



Encouraging Pakistani entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in Libya before competitors capture emerging market share, he underscored that trade and commerce thrive on cooperation and partnership. He assured participants that the Embassy of Pakistan in Libya would remain fully accessible to support genuine business initiatives and facilitate commercial engagement.



In his welcome address, LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol emphasized the longstanding friendly relations between Pakistan and Libya and highlighted the need to transform strong political ties into robust economic partnerships. He noted that despite significant trade potential, bilateral trade remains far below its true capacity.



According to State Bank of Pakistan figures for 2025-26, Pakistan imported goods worth approximately USD 1. 1 million from Libya, while exports to Libya stood at USD 13. 1 million. He stated that considering the size of both economies and the complementary nature of their markets, bilateral trade should comfortably exceed USD 01 billion.



Saigol identified substantial opportunities for Pakistani exporters in sectors such as value-added textiles, surgical instruments, processed foods, sports goods, engineering products, construction materials, and IT services, while also highlighting prospects for joint ventures in oil and gas services. He reaffirmed LCCI’s commitment to facilitating business-to-business contacts, trade delegations, exhibitions, and information exchange between the business communities of both countries.



Posted on

Federal secretaries directed to fully operationalize PMOS, review tasks twice daily


Islamabad: The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday directed all federal secretaries to ensure the full operationalization of the Prime Minister Office System (PMOS), instructing them to upload ministry data within a week and review assigned tasks on the digital platform at least twice daily.



The directives are aimed at strengthening real-time governance, accountability and implementation of government priorities.



The directions were issued during a meeting of the Secretaries Committee co-chaired by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Ahad Cheema and Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Tauqeer Shah, a news release said. The meeting was attended by federal secretaries and senior PMO officials.



The meeting reviewed progress on the implementation of PMOS, a unified digital platform developed to facilitate real-time monitoring of official business, improve inter-ministerial coordination and accelerate execution of the prime minister’s priorities.



Head of the PMO Governance Reforms Unit Musharraf Rasool briefed the participants on the system’s operational features, performance monitoring capabilities and its role in modernizing government administration.



Officials of the Pakistan Digital Authority informed the meeting that all initial technical refinements had been completed and the platform was now fully stable and capable of supporting uninterrupted real-time monitoring across the federal government.



Addressing the meeting, Ahad Cheema described PMOS as a transformative governance platform that replaced conventional manual follow-up mechanisms with an integrated digital system providing live monitoring, instant feedback, data-driven decision-making and seamless institutional coordination.



He said the previous manual system required repeated correspondence and lengthy follow-ups to identify implementation gaps and monitor progress, whereas PMOS would enable the Prime Minister’s Office to track assignments in real time, allowing timely interventions and quicker resolution of bottlenecks.



The minister said the platform would serve as the government’s central digital command and coordination system, promoting greater transparency, accountability and responsiveness while strengthening collaboration among ministries and divisions.



To expedite the system’s operationalization, Ahad Cheema directed all federal secretaries to upload the bulk of their respective ministry data to PMOS by next week.



He also instructed them to review and monitor assigned tasks on the platform at least twice daily to ensure continuous engagement with the system and prompt compliance with directives issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.



The minister stressed that routine assignments should be executed without delay, while ministries should update complex matters on the platform with clearly identified constraints and realistic timelines.



He assured the participants that the Prime Minister’s Office would work closely with ministries through dedicated review meetings to resolve implementation bottlenecks and establish achievable timelines.



The federal secretaries appreciated the Prime Minister’s Office and the Pakistan Digital Authority for developing the digital governance platform, saying it would improve institutional efficiency, transparency, coordination and performance monitoring across the federal government.



They also reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the successful operationalization of PMOS over the coming weeks by maintaining full engagement with the platform and working closely with the Prime Minister’s Office and the Pakistan Digital Authority to address any operational issues promptly.



Posted on

DPM/FM Dar, Kazakh counterpart agree to further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, regional connectivity


Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev, Saturday, agreed to intensify cooperation in trade, investment, transport and regional connectivity, energy, people-to-people exchanges, and at multilateral forums.



The DPM/FM met with his Kazakh counterpart on the sidelines of the SCO CFM meeting in Kyrgyzstan, the Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a press release.



‘The two leaders reviewed the positive momentum in Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations following the visit of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to Pakistan earlier this year and reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the understandings reached, including the 37 MoUs signed during the visit, ” it was added.



Foreign Minister Kosherbayev appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to advance regional peace and diplomacy.



They also exchanged views on regional and global developments and reiterated their shared commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity.



The Kazakh foreign minister invited the deputy prime minister/foreign minister to visit Kazakhstan, which he graciously accepted at a mutually convenient time.



Posted on

Rs327 million spent on Khyber Pass Economic Corridor project


Islamabad: The government has spent Rs. 326. 95 million on Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) project till June 2026.



According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the government has allocated Rs2. 5 billion for the project in the 2026-27 fiscal year, including Rs300 million from domestic resources and Rs2. 2 billion in World Bank financing.



The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved the revised project in July 2020, with a total PC-I cost of about Rs77. 9 billion to upgrade transport infrastructure linking Peshawar with the Torkham border crossing.



The project remained in the procurement stage as of July 1, 2026, with cumulative expenditure reaching Rs326. 95 million until June this year. The remaining Rs77. 58 billion is expected to be spent during the implementation phase.



The Khyber Pass Economic Corridor is designed to strengthen trade links between Pakistan and Afghanistan while laying the groundwork for greater connectivity with Central Asia.



The project aims to improve road infrastructure, cut travel time, facilitate freight movement, enhance safety along one of Pakistan’s busiest international trade routes, improve logistics and transport efficiency, boost regional commerce and support economic activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by improving market access, attracting private investment and creating jobs during construction and operation.



The project forms part of Pakistan’s broader efforts to modernize its transport network and deepen regional economic integration. Once completed, it is expected to provide a more efficient transport route for cross-border trade, lowering logistics costs and strengthening Pakistan’s role as a regional trade and transit corridor connecting South Asia with Afghanistan and Central Asia.



Posted on

Freedom Front downs two Taliban military drones in Badakhshan’s Zebak district


Islamabad: The Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) has shot down two Taliban military drones in the Zebak district of Badakhshan province. According to a statement by the group, the Taliban drones were conducting operations inside territories controlled by the Freedom Front.



The group said that the Taliban had recently attempted a large-scale advance in the Zebak district, but their push was successfully foiled due to organized and strong resistance by Freedom Front fighters. The Freedom Front further stated that Taliban forces suffered both human and military losses during the intense clashes.



Additionally, the group said they have prevented Taliban reinforcement helicopters from landing in the area by opening heavy fire, forcing the helicopters to retreat without disembarking personnel or supplies.



Resistance operations against Taliban actions in Zebak district remain ongoing, the Freedom Front added.