Day: July 29, 2026

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Tuesday, directed relevant authorities to accelerate the implementation of right-sizing measures to enhance the performance and effectiveness of the government.

He also directed the right-sizing committee to finalize its remaining recommendations within one month.

The prime minister chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on the federal government’s right-sizing initiative aimed at improving efficiency of the Federal Government, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

The prime minister emphasized that the adoption of modern technology and improved training programmes would significantly enhance the efficiency of public sector institutions.

He stressed that abolition of unnecessary posts and positions remained a key component of the government’s reform agenda.

The meeting was attended by Ministers; Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, Adviser to the PM on Privatization Muhammad Ali, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani and senior officials from relevant government institutions.

The prime minister noted that, under the right-sizing initiative, the Utility Stores Corporation, Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) and the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) had already been closed, resulting in savings for the national exchequer.

He further asked for an independent third-party audit of the institutions closed and positions abolished under the right-sizing measures.

During the meeting, the committee briefed participants on the progress made under the reform initiative.

The officials informed that the measures taken so far had reduced the ratio of federal government expenditure to GDP while vacant positions across various ministries and government departments had been abolished.

The meeting was further informed that proposals were being furnished for the right-sizing of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and autonomous bodies.

Officials also apprised that the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and First Women Bank Limited had been completed, while steps were afoot to privatize several other state-owned enterprises.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Tuesday disposed of the Punjab government’s appeals seeking cancellation of the bail granted to former Punjab chief minister Pervez Elahi and Muhammad Khan Bhatti, while ruling that the trial court may revoke their bail in accordance with the law if they fail to appear before it.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi heard the case. During the hearing, the Punjab prosecutor submitted that the accused had secured adjournments on 18 occasions so far.

The Chief Justice asked why the accused were not appearing before the trial court.

Counsel for Pervez Elahi, Ali Zafar, disputed the prosecution’s claim, describing it as contrary to the facts. He argued that Pervez Elahi had remained in jail for one year, yet neither had charges been framed nor had any witnesses or evidence been produced in the case.

The Chief Justice observed that it was the prosecution’s responsibility to produce evidence, but stressed that the presence of the accused before the trial court was mandatory and that no one would be allowed to misuse the law.

In its order, the Supreme Court directed the trial court to proceed with the case and complete the hearing within two weeks. The court further clarified that if the accused failed to appear before the trial court, it would be at liberty to cancel their bail in accordance with the law.

Islamabad: Scientists at the Potato Research Institute (PRI) Sahiwal have developed four new potato lines with high dry matter content (DMC) to support Pakistan’s growing processed potato industry, particularly the production of French fries and potato chips.

“We have recently developed four new potato lines with a dry matter content exceeding 22%, ” Potato Research Institute Director Dr Rana Aftab Iqbal told Wealth Pakistan. He identified the new lines as L 5-2, FD 74-30, FD 35-36 and FD 74-50.

Dr Aftab Iqbal said the Potato Research Institute, established in 2009, has so far developed 12 table potato varieties. Three of them — Punjab, Sadaf and Ruby — have a dry matter content ranging between 20% and 22%.

He said high dry matter content is one of the most important characteristics for producing processed potato products, as varieties with low DMC are unsuitable for producing quality French fries and potato chips. “Table potato varieties with low dry matter content cannot be effectively processed into value-added products such as chips and French fries, ” he said.

According to Dr Aftab Iqbal, farmers in Punjab have traditionally preferred high-yielding table potato varieties, which generally contain lower dry matter, because they produce better yields per acre. However, he said farmers have recently started cultivating imported high-DMC varieties, mostly of Dutch origin, including Lady Rosetta, Hermes, Alverstone, Venus, Sante and Asterix.

“There is a need to develop more high-DMC varieties locally, as they are better adapted to Pakistan’s climatic conditions, including frost, drought and heat stress, ” he said, adding that farming practices, fertiliser management — particularly the type of potash applied — and harvesting time also influence the dry matter content of potatoes.

Dr Ahmad Din, Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Food Science and Technology, Faisalabad, said Pakistan, despite producing around 10 million tonnes of potatoes annually and ranking among the world’s top 10 potato producers, has yet to fully benefit from the expanding global market for processed potato products. “It is mainly due to the cultivation of low-DMC potato varieties, which are unsuitable for processing into chips and French fries, ” he told Wealth Pakistan.

Dr Ahmad said potato varieties with a dry matter content above 20% are preferred for French fries because they absorb less oil, resulting in a crispier product and better processing quality.

He said processors currently rely mainly on imported high-DMC potato varieties such as Sante, Lady Rosetta, Cardinal and Asterix for producing chips and French fries. He added that expanding local production of high-DMC potato varieties would help utilise surplus potato output through value addition while increasing returns for growers and processors.

Islamabad: The Public Facilitation Centre established at the Supreme Court of Pakistan to facilitate litigants has become fully operational, offering 23 different services, with the number set to increase to 35 by August 2026.

Briefing the media, Supreme Court Public Facilitation and Liaison Officer Shumaila Naz said that the Centre’s services are also accessible through the Supreme Court’s website and mobile application.

She said that since October 2025, around 58, 000 litigants had availed various facilities through the Centre. She added that a dedicated call centre was also being established to further facilitate court users.

According to her, the Centre provides services including case information, case filing, certified copies of court orders and other essential facilities, all of which can also be accessed remotely.

Shumaila Naz said that a legal assistance feature had been added to the Public Facilitation Centre, while an auto-fixation feature was also being introduced as part of its digital services. She said the implementation of the auto-fixation policy would eliminate human intervention in the process of scheduling cases for hearing.

She further said that previously court filing fees had to be deposited at the State Bank of Pakistan, but now challans could be generated and submitted directly at the Public Facilitation Centre. Court fees could also be paid through any online bank or mobile banking application.

On the occasion, Supreme Court Registrar Suhail Laghari said that more than PKR 200 million had been spent on the Public Facilitation Centre, parking facilities and related infrastructure. He added that a separate briefing would be held on the case fixation policy.

Secretary to the Chief Justice Mushtaq Ahmed said that a call centre would soon be established at the Public Facilitation Centre where two lawyers would also be available to provide proper legal guidance to litigants.

He said that litigants who could not afford legal representation would be provided free legal assistance as well as the services of a lawyer.

Supreme Court Registrar Suhail Laghari, Secretary to the Chief Justice Mushtaq Ahmed and Supreme Court Spokesperson Dr. Shahid Kamboh were also present during the briefing.

Islamabad: With the South Korean team’s boots on Pakistani turf for the first bilateral series by a visiting international team in nearly 20 years, Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani’s revival mission has produced its most visible dividend yet, a moment built in just five months of relentless work and several difficult decisions.

Wani took charge of the PHF as ad-hoc president in February 2026 following administrative changes ordered by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif amid reports of mismanagement within the federation. Since then, he has pursued a steady, methodical rebuild that stretches from the national team’s finances to grassroots pathways for boys and girls alike.

The scale of the challenge was, by his own account, daunting. Reflecting on the federation’s finances when he assumed charge, Wani had said the PHF’s account held a meager amount of pkr two million. Through sustained efforts and collaboration with government and private sector sponsors, that figure has since grown to pkr 400 million, funds he has insisted would go entirely toward player training and travel. He has repeatedly stressed that no foreign tours for federation officials, including himself, would be funded from this money.

Central to his approach has been handing technical control back to the men who once wore the national colours. “Look, it is time to move forward and hand over responsibilities to former Olympians who are eager to contribute, ” Wani said, noting that never before in the country’s hockey history had so many former Olympians been simultaneously engaged in key roles.

“These stalwarts have now been given full authority to rebuild the national team and make it competitive against the best sides in the world, ” he added. That trust has been reciprocated by a roster of former greats now embedded in the federation’s setup: Islahuddin Siddiqui and Hasan Sardar, who co-chair the PHF’s Development and Professional Advisory Committee; Samiullah Khan, appointed chief selector; Manzoorul Hasan, head coach of the senior national team; Khawaja Junaid, also on the coaching side; Ayaz Mahmood, head coach of the junior team; and Qamar Ibrahim, in charge of the Under-18 side.

Hasan Sardar and Islahuddin expressed confidence that Pakistan hockey could be put back on track within two years of the ad hoc committee’s reform agenda taking hold. “If all goes according to plan, our national team can return to the elite group of top six teams in the world within two years, ” Hasan Sardar said, “but this requires resources and proper patronage. ”

That local expertise has now been paired with international know-how. Earlier this month, the PHF roped in a foreign coaching panel to lead the technical side of the revival programme, headed by Dutch coach Herman Kruis as Overall National Hockey Coaching Advisor and Head Coach, alongside David Dwyer as Fitness and High-Performance Coach, Adnan Zakir as Junior Talent Identification Coach, Bob Johan Veldhof as Goalkeeping Coach, and Chris Bowen as Sports Psychologist.

Wani described the appointments as the beginning of a new era for Pakistan hockey. “We are bringing together international expertise to rebuild every aspect of the game, from player development and sports science to coaching education and high-performance systems, ” he said.

“Alongside preparing our national teams, these experts will mentor our local coaches and help establish a sustainable coaching infrastructure that will benefit Pakistan hockey for generations. ”

The panel is assigned to work across the senior, junior, Under-18, youth and women’s national programmes.

The efforts are yielding results. In March, Wani paid tribute to the national team for qualifying for the Hockey World Cup after an eight-year gap, calling it a remarkable achievement.

“If the players continue to demonstrate this level of performance and commitment, the national team will soon regain its lost glory, ” he said.

Women’s hockey has not been left behind. “Women’s hockey has remained dormant for far too long, even at the domestic level. We are making a fresh start and are committed to creating regular competitions that will eventually help us rebuild a strong national women’s team, ” Wani said, as the federation staged the Prime Minister National Women’s Under-21 Hockey Championship in Islamabad in early July. The tournament, contested by 16 teams from across the country, doubled as a talent hunt, with selected players recently getting chance to represent Pakistan in the Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup and the Under-18 Five-a-Side Asia Cup in Oman.

Wani said efforts were also under way to build a strong senior women’s national team, with qualified coaches to be appointed to nurture emerging talent.

Grassroots development has run in parallel across the board. In May, Wani announced that 60, 000 to 70, 000 youngsters were expected to take up hockey nationwide under a school and college outreach programme, distributing free kits to encourage participation among under-14 and under-16 age groups.

Corporate sponsors have also been drawn in: the PHF signed MoUs with Alaska Batteries and Sky 47 in May, with Wani telling the gathering, “This is not a one-day task, but we are taking steps and we will continue supporting hockey at every level. ”

Former Olympian Tauqeer Dar, present at the ceremony, termed the initiative encouraging.

Wani described 2026 as a year of international exposure for Pakistan hockey, with six major assignments on the calendar: the Hockey World Cup, the Asian Games, the Johor Cup, the Junior Asia Cup, the Under-18 Five-a-Side Asia Cup, and the Under-18 Asia Cup, alongside a visit by China’s regional team to Pakistan in December.

The South Korean series in Islamabad is only the first leg of a renewed hockey exchange between the two countries. Pakistan is also scheduled to travel to South Korea in September for a return four-match series, giving the national side back-to-back international exposure within a matter of months.

As Pakistan hockey takes its first confident steps back onto the world stage, the hope among players, Olympians and fans alike is that Wani’s reforms, spanning finances, coaching, and the women’s game, are not a passing moment but the foundation of a lasting revival.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said an efficient, integrated and technology-driven logistics system was indispensable for achieving export-led growth, industrial competitiveness and regional connectivity under the government’s URAAN Pakistan initiative.

He also directed the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) to expand the Sost Dry Port and strengthen logistics infrastructure, while chairing the 68th meeting of the National Logistics Board (NLB), the apex body overseeing the country’s logistics sector, attended by its members.

During the meeting, the Quartermaster General Pakistan Army, Officer In-Charge NLC and Director General NLC briefed the board on the organization’s operational, administrative and financial affairs.

The board was informed about NLC’s achievements in advancing regional connectivity, particularly through the establishment of Forward Transit Trade Hubs at Serhatabat in Turkmenistan, Termez in Uzbekistan and Kashgar in China, aimed at diversifying export routes for Pakistani products. Members were also briefed on new initiatives to strengthen logistics infrastructure and promote value addition in agricultural exports.

Highlighting the strategic importance of logistics, Ahsan Iqbal directed NLC to focus on expanding the Sost Dry Port as a key gateway for boosting Pakistan’s exports and enhancing regional trade connectivity.

He also instructed the corporation to establish a state-of-the-art driving academy in line with international standards to develop a skilled workforce capable of serving global logistics markets.

He stressed that trainees should also receive foreign language training to facilitate effective communication in cross-border trade, particularly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The minister said logistics had evolved beyond the transportation of goods and had become the backbone of a competitive economy, the foundation of resilient supply chains and a strategic enabler of national security and sustainable development.

“For Pakistan, improving logistics is not simply a sectoral reform; it is a national economic imperative. As we pursue the goals of URAAN Pakistan, particularly export-led growth, industrial competitiveness and regional connectivity, an efficient, integrated and technology-driven logistics ecosystem will be indispensable, ” Ahsan Iqbal said.

He said the country’s logistics reforms should focus on reducing the cost and time of doing business through efficient transport networks, multimodal connectivity, digital logistics and seamless trade facilitation to attract investment and position Pakistan as a regional connectivity hub linking South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East.

The minister also commended NLC’s performance and acknowledged its leading role in the modernization and transformation of Pakistan’s logistics sector.