Month: July 2026

Islamabad: A key change has been introduced in the Islamabad Session Court system as the court of Judge Afzal Majoka has been officially designated as a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Court.

Following the decision, all cases related to gender-based violence would now be transferred to and heard by this court under a centralized mechanism.

The Islamabad High Court Registrar issued a formal notification announcing the change after approval from Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar.

Under the new arrangement, all cases involving violence and crimes based on gender would be placed before Judge Afzal Majoka’s court. The move was aimed at ensuring that such cases were heard through a dedicated judicial forum.

The Gender-Based Violence Court has previously handled and decided several high-profile cases. Among them were the widely known Noor Mukadam murder case and the Usman Mirza case, both of which attracted significant public attention across the country.

Judicial officials said that assigning a dedicated court for gender-based violence cases would help streamline proceedings and bring all related matters under one platform. The decision was expected to provide a structured process for the hearing of cases involving violence against women and other gender-related crimes.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary on Tuesday said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured a decisive victory in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections because the people endorsed the party’s development agenda and governance model.

Addressing a press conference alongside Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, Dr Tariq said the PML-N’s victory reflected public confidence in its development agenda, which was presented during the election campaign through public rallies addressed by party leader Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur.

He described the Mirpur public gathering on July 24 as historic and said the party had promised to replicate in Azad Jammu and Kashmir the same model of development being implemented in Punjab under Maryam Nawaz Sharif and at the federal level under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

“Our strength lies in the successful and popular development projects already being delivered by the federal government and, in particular, in Punjab, which borders Mirpur Division, ” he said.

According to Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, the people of Mirpur and Kashmir demanded initiatives similar to Punjab’s Suthra Punjab programme, laptops for youth, green buses, hospitals with modern facilities, a cancer hospital, a specialised heart hospital, and infrastructure development across the region.

He said these were the commitments made by the PML-N during the election campaign, adding that the election results showed the people had endorsed the party’s politics of development.

Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said the first phase of the electoral process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir was completed on July 27, during which polling was held in all 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division.

He said, by the grace of Almighty Allah, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz won nine of the 13 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured the remaining four.

Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said that while the party was naturally delighted to secure more than 70 per cent of the seats in Mirpur Division, the greater satisfaction was that the elections remained peaceful, impartial, and credible.

He congratulated the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Mirpur Division administration, police, and everyone involved in conducting the polls, saying no one had been able to question the transparency of the electoral process.

Referring to two isolated incidents, the minister said one involved an exchange of fire between rival groups that resulted in the loss of a precious human life, which he strongly condemned.

In another incident in LA-6, ballot boxes were taken from a polling station, but the administration acted immediately, arrested those responsible, and brought them before the law.

Apart from these incidents, he said polling in all 13 constituencies remained peaceful and the opposition had been unable to level any allegations of rigging or manipulation of the election results.

He added that conducting clean, transparent, and credible elections in AJK was essential for maintaining peace in the coming days.

The minister urged political opponents to focus on the remaining phases of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections, scheduled for August 2 and August 10, instead of criticising the PML-N’s promises.

He said if the PPP had development achievements in Sindh, it should present those before the people rather than criticising the PML-N’s connection with the people of AJK.

“We have successful models of governance in Punjab and at the federal level, and we are telling the people of Kashmir that these same models will be implemented in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, ” he said.

Criticising the PPP’s campaign, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had focused on political division, instability, and allegations against federal ministers instead of presenting a governance model.

He recalled that when he and Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal informed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that Rs28 billion would be required to meet the demands of the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the premier instructed them to proceed with the commitments and assured them that even Rs38 billion would be provided, if necessary, to ensure peace in the region.

Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said the federal government honoured those commitments and had consistently prioritised peace in the region.

He also urged the PPP to display political maturity by accepting the election results, recalling that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had congratulated the PPP on its electoral success in Gilgit-Baltistan.

The minister further said political rivalry should not be allowed to undermine unity in AJK, adding that the people of the region were politically aware and capable of deciding who could best shape their future.

Commenting on voter turnout, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary said a banned organisation had called for a boycott of the elections, yet nearly 700, 000 voters exercised their democratic right during the first phase.

He termed the Mirpur Division election a referendum in favour of democracy, saying the people had rejected the boycott call and instead chosen the political process, peace, stability, and development over violence and hatred.

Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary expressed confidence that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz would also perform strongly in the remaining phases of the elections on August 2 and August 10, saying the party relied on governance, development, and public service rather than slogans, hatred, and division.

He also expressed confidence that the PML-N would ultimately secure a majority in the 33-seat Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Under-21 National Hockey Team was graciously hosted at a luncheon by Syed Naveed Safdar Bokhari, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Sultanate of Oman.

The event was also attended by Khurram Shahzad, Counsellor at the Embassy of Pakistan in Muscat, said a press release.

During the gathering, the Ambassador warmly welcomed the Pakistan Under-21 contingent and expressed his best wishes for the team’s success during its tour of Oman.

He appreciated the players and management for representing Pakistan with pride and encouraged them to continue striving for excellence on the international stage.

On behalf of the Pakistan Under-21 Hockey Team, the management presented commemorative souvenirs to His Excellency as a token of appreciation.

Olympian Ayaz Mehmood, Head Coach, presented the official Pakistan Under-21 team jersey.

Olympian Syed Sameer Hussain, Coach, presented a hockey stick, symbolizing Pakistan’s rich hockey heritage. International Azfar Yaqoob, Coach, presented the national flag of Pakistan as a gesture of respect and gratitude.

The team management sincerely thanked His Excellency Syed Naveed Safdar Bokhari and the Embassy of Pakistan in Muscat for their warm hospitality, generous luncheon, and continued encouragement. The gathering reflected the Embassy’s strong support for Pakistan’s young athletes and served as a source of motivation for the team ahead of its international fixtures in Oman.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to expedite SME loan access and approved a three-tier governance structure to double business financing by 2028.

The prime minister chaired a high-level review meeting here to expand access to finance for the business community, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and directed banks to speed up lending to the sector, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said easy access to credit for the business sector forms the foundation of sustainable economic growth. He noted that improved financing would not only boost investment and production but also generate employment opportunities and help increase exports.

The prime minister directed that access to loans for the business community, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, be expedited without delay.

He also announced that the bank extending the highest volume of credit to the business sector, particularly SMEs, would be given a special award every year.

To institutionalize the push for improved access to finance, the prime minister approved a three-tier governance structure. He announced that he would personally head the top-tier committee overseeing the provision of financial facilities. Below that, a steering committee tasked with expanding Access to Finance (A2F) will be led by the finance minister, with the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan serving as co-chairman. Separate sector-specific sub-committees will also be established for SME, agriculture, IT, renewable energy, and housing finance.

The officials briefing the meeting said SME financing by banks, currently standing at Rs 1. 15 trillion as of June 2026, is targeted to be raised to Rs 2 trillion by June 2028. The number of SME borrowers is likewise set to increase from the current 324, 000 to 775, 000 over the same period. The share of SME financing in overall bank lending is targeted to rise from 9. 9 percent to 13 percent by June 2028.

They added that to monitor progress and encourage banks to meet these targets, a scoring system will be introduced to evaluate bank performance on SME and broader business lending.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar, State Bank of Pakistan Governor Jameel Ahmad, Pakistan Banks’ Association Chairman Zafar Masud, and other senior government officials.

Islamabad: In a late-night enforcement action, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration seized 2 tractor-trolleys for allegedly dumping garbage and waste into the Soan River, officials said.

The operation was carried out by the Assistant Commissioner (Rural) as part of efforts to prevent illegal disposal of waste in the area.

According to the district administration, the vehicles were caught during night-time monitoring aimed at checking activities that could affect the river and surrounding environment. After the action, both tractor-trolleys were taken to the local police station for further legal proceedings.

Officials stated that waste dumping into rivers and water channels is prohibited and action will continue against those found violating regulations. The administration has directed field teams to maintain surveillance in areas where illegal disposal of waste has been reported.

The Assistant Commissioner (Rural) said that enforcement teams are conducting regular inspections and will respond to complaints related to environmental violations. Authorities also urged transporters and contractors to dispose of waste at designated sites instead of dumping it into natural waterways.

The district administration reiterated its commitment to protecting public spaces and water resources through monitoring and enforcement measures. Further action will be taken in accordance with the law against individuals involved in illegal waste disposal activities.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday urged every district to establish dedicated “green channels” for climate change and flood-related projects to ensure their swift approval and guaranteed funding, stressing the need for stronger institutional preparedness to tackle the growing impacts of climate change.

“We are living right through the eye of climate change, ” the minister said, warning that Pakistan must adopt a proactive, whole-of-government approach to minimise the human and economic losses caused by increasingly frequent extreme weather events.

The minister was talking to the media during his visit to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) after receiving a detailed briefing on the prevailing flood situation in the country.

He was accompanied by Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik, Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, Minister for Finance Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar.

Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan had witnessed devastating floods in 2022 and again in 2025, while this year the country was experiencing extreme temperatures and localized cloudbursts that had triggered flash floods, landslides and urban flooding in different parts of the country.

Describing Pakistan as one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing less than one per cent to global greenhouse gas emissions, he said the government had launched coordinated preparedness measures well before the onset of the monsoon season.

On the directions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, he said, an inter-ministerial emergency response committee comprising all relevant stakeholders was constituted about two months ago to monitor emerging threats, coordinate with provincial governments and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs), and ensure timely preparedness.

The committee, which initially met on a weekly basis, is now holding daily meetings to assess the evolving flood situation and further strengthen the national response, he added.

Sharing the latest figures, he said 109 people had lost their lives while around 360 others had been injured in weather-related incidents across the country.

He noted that nearly 57 per cent of the fatalities were caused not directly by flooding but by the collapse of houses, walls and other structures, underscoring the urgent need to improve the country’s resilience to climate-related disasters.

Although floods and extreme temperatures could not be prevented, effective planning, preparedness and timely response could significantly reduce the loss of human lives, he said.

He said NDMA’s disaster preparedness and response capacity had improved steadily over the years, enabling authorities to carry out timely rescue and relief operations that helped keep casualties comparatively low despite large-scale flooding.

The government, he said, was strengthening glacier monitoring systems and, in collaboration with China, promoting climate-resilient agriculture by developing crop varieties capable of withstanding changing climatic conditions.

He said the Ministry of Water Resources was accelerating work on strategic projects, including the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, to enhance water storage capacity and reduce flood risks, while also implementing a national flood protection programme in collaboration with the provinces.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting was also ensuring the timely dissemination of public advisories to help minimise losses during emergencies, he added.

Ahsan Iqbal underlined the need to strengthen disaster management institutions at the district level, improve emergency protocols, expedite resource mobilisation, ensure timely approval of funds for relief operations, and empower local governments, saying effective disaster management and public service delivery would remain difficult without strengthening district administrations.

He called for dedicated “green channels” in every district to fast-track climate change and flood-related projects and ensure uninterrupted funding for their timely implementation.