Day: July 29, 2026

Islamabad: The International Silk Road Festival will be held from October 24-25 at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA), with the aim of fostering new partnerships, expanding business outreach and promoting culture, tourism, trade and hospitality.

According to the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), the two-day festival will provide a unique platform for networking, collaboration and business development, bringing together key stakeholders from across the tourism, hospitality and food sectors.

The festival will be attended by visitors, tourism partners, international delegates, restaurant owners, cafe operators, food brands, culinary entrepreneurs and business leaders associated with the hospitality industry.

PTDC said the event would offer participants opportunities to establish new business linkages, showcase their products and services, and explore avenues for collaboration while highlighting Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage and tourism potential.

Interested individuals and businesses wishing to book stalls or register for participation can submit their applications through https://www. silkroadenterprises. pk/book-stall.

Islamabad: Outgoing Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Pakistan, Khazar Farhadov, called on Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan at the Ministry of Commerce, where both sides reviewed the remarkable progress achieved in Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations during the Ambassador’s successful tenure and reaffirmed their commitment to further expanding bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.

The meeting reflected on a historic period of unprecedented momentum in bilateral engagement, driven by the close friendship and shared vision of the leadership of Pakistan and Azerbaijan, said a release issued here on Tuesday.

Both sides observed that the Ambassador’s tenure witnessed significant progress in political, economic and commercial cooperation, marked by frequent high-level exchanges, strengthened institutional collaboration, enhanced people-to-people contacts and growing trade and investment opportunities.

Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan commended Ambassador Khazar Farhadov for his outstanding contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two brotherly countries.

He appreciated the Ambassador’s professionalism, constructive diplomacy and unwavering commitment to promoting bilateral cooperation, describing his tenure as one of the most productive phases in the history of Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations.

The Minister noted that the strong rapport between the leadership of both countries had translated political goodwill into tangible economic outcomes.

He said Pakistan values Azerbaijan as a trusted brotherly nation and remains committed to deepening cooperation in trade, investment, energy, tourism, transport, infrastructure and industrial development.

During the meeting, both sides recalled several landmark achievements realized during Ambassador Farhadov’s tenure, including the successful convening of the 8th Session of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Commission, the signing of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and continued progress towards its implementation to facilitate bilateral trade.

They noted that these milestones have strengthened the institutional framework for expanding economic cooperation, promoting joint ventures and enhancing commercial linkages between the two countries.

The Minister also highlighted the signing of 15 Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during recent high-level engagements between Pakistan and Azerbaijan covering trade and commerce, investment, information technology, tourism, science and technology, civil aviation, media cooperation, SMEs, cultural exchanges and consular affairs.

He noted that these agreements have laid the foundation for broader strategic collaboration and long-term economic partnership.

Both sides further appreciated the progress made towards establishing Azerbaijan Trade Houses in Pakistan, launching the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organizing regular business-to-business forums and strengthening institutional engagement between the private sectors of both countries.

They agreed that these initiatives would help translate the exceptional political relationship into meaningful economic gains.

Ambassador Khazar Farhadov highlighted the substantial progress made during his tenure, including increased leadership exchanges, expanded direct air connectivity, enhanced institutional cooperation and growing commercial interaction between the two countries.

He observed that the strong political relationship had created new opportunities for businesses and investors and encouraged both sides to maintain the current momentum.

The Ambassador encouraged Pakistan to facilitate regular visits by Azerbaijani investors, chambers of commerce and business delegations to Special Economic Zones, industrial clusters and export-oriented industries to enable them to witness firsthand the country’s manufacturing capabilities and investment potential.

He emphasized that direct engagement with Pakistan’s business ecosystem would strengthen investor confidence and encourage long-term partnerships.

He further noted that Pakistan offers significant investment opportunities across diverse sectors, including energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, tourism and logistics, and has the potential to attract investors not only from Azerbaijan but also from Trkiye, Kazakhstan, Japan and other friendly countries.

Referring to Azerbaijan’s planned investments in Pakistan, he expressed confidence that discussions on priority projects, particularly in the energy sector, would soon materialize into practical outcomes.

He emphasized that while governments create enabling policies and facilitate cooperation, sustainable investment is ultimately driven by the private sector through commercially viable opportunities.

The two sides also discussed the importance of enhanced regional connectivity and expressed optimism that improved regional conditions would facilitate land transport and trade corridors linking Pakistan with Azerbaijan through the wider region, creating new opportunities for commerce, logistics and regional economic integration.

Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to providing a transparent and investor-friendly business environment and assured the Ambassador that the Ministry of Commerce would continue extending full support to initiatives aimed at enhancing bilateral trade, investment and private-sector collaboration.

Expressing his appreciation for Ambassador Farhadov’s successful diplomatic tenure, the Minister conveyed his best wishes for the Ambassador’s future assignment and acknowledged that his sincere efforts had elevated Pakistan-Azerbaijan relations to new heights of mutual trust, strategic cooperation and economic partnership.

The meeting concluded with both sides reaffirming their resolve to build upon the historic friendship between Pakistan and Azerbaijan by further expanding trade, investment, business partnerships and institutional cooperation for the mutual benefit and shared prosperity of the two brotherly nations.

Islamabad: Rainfall continued in several areas of the federal capital on Tuesday, prompting the district administration to remain on alert. In this regard, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad directed all Assistant Commissioners to stay in the field and monitor the situation to ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow across the city.

According to the district administration, rain was reported in different parts of Islamabad, leading authorities to activate monitoring measures in vulnerable locations. The Deputy Commissioner instructed all Assistant Commissioners to remain present in their respective areas and keep a close watch on developments related to the weather.

The administration also directed sanitation staff to stay in the field during the rainfall. Teams were asked to respond quickly to any issues that could arise from water accumulation and to ensure that drainage systems continue to function without interruption.

Special attention has been focused on low-lying areas and drainage channels. Assistant Commissioners have been instructed to continue monitoring these locations to prevent problems caused by rising water levels and to take immediate action if required.

The Deputy Commissioner further directed officials to work in coordination with Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) to maintain the flow of traffic on major roads and highways. Authorities have been asked to address any traffic disruptions and provide assistance where needed.

District administration teams, sanitation workers, and traffic management officials remain on duty as rainfall continues in different parts of the capital. Officials said monitoring would continue and necessary measures would be taken to respond to changing weather conditions.

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a post-arrest bail petition filed by the principal accused in an alleged illegal human organ transplantation case. Justice Muhammad Azam Khan heard the petition filed by Syed Adeel Haider, who challenged an additional sessions court order cancelling the bail earlier granted to him by the trial court. Advocate Ikram Amin Minhas appeared on behalf of the petitioner.

During the proceedings, it was submitted that the trial court had granted post-arrest bail to the accused. However, the Additional Sessions Judge subsequently set aside that order and allowed the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) application seeking cancellation of the bail.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the high court reserved its judgment. According to the prosecution, the FIA has registered a case against the accused over their alleged involvement in an illegal kidney transplantation racket.