Day: July 30, 2026

Islamabad: Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Wednesday departed for a two-day official visit to Trkiye aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in the railways, transport and infrastructure sectors.

During the visit, the minister will hold an important meeting with Trkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure to discuss avenues for enhancing collaboration in railway development, transport connectivity and infrastructure projects between the two countries.

The two ministers will also co-chair a high-level meeting of their respective delegations to review prospects for joint projects, strategic partnerships and expanded technical cooperation.

As part of the visit, Abbasi will inspect Trkiye’s advanced railway monitoring, operational control and safety systems, besides visiting modern railway technology centres and coach and locomotive manufacturing facilities.

The discussions will focus on cooperation in modern railway technology, signalling, digitalisation and infrastructure development, with the objective of incorporating international best practices into Pakistan Railways.

The visit is also expected to explore opportunities for technology transfer, investment by Turkish companies in Pakistan Railways’ development projects, and collaboration in coach manufacturing, locomotive production and railway engineering to enhance Pakistan’s local manufacturing capacity.

The minister will review Trkiye’s modern urban and high-speed rail systems to assess their potential applicability in Pakistan as part of the government’s drive to modernise the country’s railway network.

Officials said the visit would further support the government’s vision of transforming Pakistan Railways into a modern, safe, efficient and passenger-friendly transport system in line with international standards through greater cooperation with Trkiye.

Islamabad: A fire broke out at a restaurant in Islamabad’s I-8 Markaz on Wednesday.

According to a private news channel, rescue teams and firefighters responded immediately to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.

The restaurant was evacuated as precautionary measure while firefighting operation was underway.

Islamabad: The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), in collaboration with UNICEF and the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP), on Wednesday agreed to strengthen national safety standards and regulatory enforcement to eliminate lead from consumer products, including turmeric, paints, traditional eye liners (surma), and other commonly used items.

The understanding was reached during a meeting between Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi, UNICEF Officer-in-Charge Representative Sharmeela Rasool, and LEEP Country Head Abid Hasan.

Federal Secretary for Science and Technology Shahid Iqbal Baloch and Chairman of the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Dr. Syed Hussain Abidi also attended the meeting.

The participants discussed the health risks posed by lead exposure, particularly for children and pregnant women, and stressed the need for stringent national safety standards and stronger regulatory mechanisms to ensure lead-free consumer products.

The minister announced that these products would be brought under the mandatory certification regime of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), saying the move would strengthen regulatory oversight, improve market surveillance, and ensure that only safe and quality-assured products reach consumers.

UNICEF and LEEP reaffirmed their commitment to providing technical assistance to the ministry and its affiliated organisations in developing and implementing national standards, building institutional capacity, training technical and regulatory personnel, upgrading laboratory infrastructure, improving testing facilities, and enhancing quality assurance and regulatory enforcement.

Khalid Hussain Magsi appreciated the continued support of UNICEF and LEEP in strengthening Pakistan’s quality infrastructure, saying robust standards, effective regulatory systems, and modern laboratories were essential to protecting public health and ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens.

Both sides agreed to translate the commitments into practical actions through coordinated technical cooperation, institutional strengthening, and regulatory reforms aimed at reducing lead exposure, improving consumer product safety, reinforcing national testing and certification systems, and protecting children and other vulnerable groups.

The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Ministry of Science and Technology, PSQCA, PCSIR, UNICEF, and LEEP to advancing product safety, strengthening Pakistan’s quality infrastructure, and ensuring a healthier and safer future for all.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the Daanish Authority Board that all under-construction Daanish Schools should be completed within the stipulated time frame, with no delays tolerated in the process.

The prime minister chaired the first meeting of the Daanish Authority Board here, during which he issued a series of directives aimed at expanding quality education opportunities for underprivileged children across the country, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

Welcoming the board members and participants, the prime minister thanked them for accepting the important responsibility, saying providing equal opportunities of education and development to economically disadvantaged children remained a top priority of the government.

He said Danish Schools were established on the philosophy of providing merit-based admission and education to poor and deserving students, and reiterated the government’s commitment to carrying that mission forward.

He also directed that hundred percent boarding facilities be provided for both male and female students in all under-construction as well as new Danish Schools, to ensure a conducive learning and living environment.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology, training in IT, artificial intelligence, robotics and other contemporary technologies be made a mandatory part of the curriculum at Danish Schools.

He further instructed that the curriculum incorporate project- and skill-based learning, along with courses aimed at grooming the personality and character of students.

The meeting was briefed on the recent progress and performance of the Danish Schools initiative. It was informed that 29 Danish Schools were currently proposed across the country, of which 15 had been approved and construction was under way on 13, while classes had already commenced at Danish School Kuri, Islamabad.

The board was told that construction of Danish Schools in Bagh and Bhimber in Azad Kashmir, and in Ghanche, Sultanabad and Astore in Gilgit-Baltistan, would be completed by December this year, with classes to begin from April 2027.

The Danish Authority Board approved the establishment of an international-standard Teachers’ Training Institute for capacity building of Danish School faculty. Once established, the institute will serve as a model institution for training bodies across Pakistan.

The meeting was also briefed on the proposed administrative structure of the Danish Authority. The prime minister directed that the authority’s administrative structure be kept lean, with minimal expenditure of resources.

The board granted in-principle approval to the Danish School Authority Rules, Managing Director Rules and other related regulations, after which the requisite regulatory process will be completed.

The meeting also approved the transfer of all land allotted for Danish Schools to the ownership of the Danish School Authority.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday held a warm and productive one-on-one with Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Foreign Minister of the State of Kuwait, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of Pakistan-Kuwait bilateral relations and reaffirmed their shared commitment to further strengthening the longstanding brotherly partnership.

They also held in-depth discussions on regional and international developments, with particular focus on the evolving situation in the Middle East.

Islamabad: A fire that broke out on the top floor of a commercial building in I-8 Markaz was brought under control after a rescue operation by the fire brigade, according to the district administration.

Firefighters responded quickly and remained at the site until the flames were extinguished. Cooling work is now underway to prevent the fire from spreading again.

The district administration said the fire started on the top floor of the commercial building. Fire brigade vehicles were sent to the scene and worked to control the blaze. During the operation, the Assistant Commissioner I-9 remained present at the site and monitored the response.

After the fire was brought under control, the district administration confirmed that the cooling process had started. Officials said the cause of the fire is being investigated, and a detailed assessment will be carried out after the site is declared safe.

The rescue operation was supervised by the Assistant Commissioner Industrial Area, who remained in contact with emergency teams throughout the operation.

Authorities have not reported any casualties or injuries so far. Further updates will be shared after the investigation into the cause of the fire is completed and the final inspection of the building is carried out.