Month: July 2026

Islamabad: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has successfully completed the restoration work on Haramosh Bridge, located at RD 25 on the Jaglot-Skardu Road (JSR), which was recently affected by heavy rainfall.

According to an NHA spokesperson, the bridge has been fully restored and reopened for all types of traffic, ensuring uninterrupted movement across the region.

The restoration was carried out on an emergency basis following the explicit directives of the Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan. The minister visited the site yesterday to review the progress of the restoration work and instructed officers to ensure the earliest possible completion.

Thanks to the swift execution by NHA maintenance teams, traffic flow on this vital route has now resumed smoothly without any delay.

Islamabad: A U. S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL), comprising Rep Ryan Zinke and Michael Baumgartner on Tuesday called on Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and discussed matters of mutual interests.

Welcoming the delegation, the DPM/FM highlighted the positive momentum in Pakistan-U. S. relations. The two sides discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in trade, investment, IT, energy, and other areas of mutual interest, according to a news release issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson.

They underscored the importance of sustained parliamentary exchanges in fostering mutual trust and further reinforcing the longstanding partnership between the two countries.

The congressional delegation acknowledged the valuable contributions of the vibrant Pakistani diaspora to the U. S. economy and society, recognizing it as a vital bridge between Pakistan and the United States.

They also exchanged views on regional and international developments. The Congressmen appreciated Pakistan’s constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability.

Islamabad: The Federal Constitutional Court on Tuesday adjourned until after the summer recess the hearing of a constitutional petition filed against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and others over the alleged formation of a “release force” for the party’s founder.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court, Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, heard the petition.

During the proceedings, counsel for the PTI leaders, Ali Bukhari, sought time to file his power of attorney and written reply. He informed the court that, in addition to representing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, he had also been instructed to represent Salman Akram Raja in the case and had been informed of the latter’s representation only on Tuesday morning.

The Advocate General for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa told the court that the matter was political in nature and requested that PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja be granted time to submit his reply. He said the constitutional petition alleged that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister was establishing a private militia.

Counsel for the petitioner submitted that only one respondent had so far filed a reply before the court. He requested the court to extend its earlier order directing the parties not to disturb the law and order situation.

However, Chief Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan observed that there was no need to extend the order, as it was not confined to the day’s proceedings and therefore remained effective.

The court subsequently adjourned further hearing of the case until after the summer recess.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Tuesday invited American businesses to take advantage of Pakistan’s improving investment climate, saying the two countries had the potential to double bilateral trade to US$20 billion over the next five years through enhanced economic cooperation and investment.

Addressing a visiting U. S. Congressional delegation (CODEL) and a high-level American business delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the deputy prime minister said Pakistan attached great importance to its longstanding strategic and economic partnership with the United States and was committed to expanding cooperation in trade, investment and emerging sectors.

Welcoming the delegation, DPM/FM Ishaq Dar said the visit reflected the enduring friendship between the two countries and the growing positive momentum in Pakistan-U. S. relations.

He said Pakistan and the United States, home to the world’s fifth and third largest populations respectively, possessed immense potential to build a mutually beneficial partnership by leveraging each other’s economic strengths.

“The United States is Pakistan’s largest single-country export destination, with bilateral trade reaching US$9. 4 billion during the last fiscal year, ” he said, expressing confidence that the volume could be doubled to US$20 billion over the next five years.

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan believed in fair, balanced and reciprocal trade that created value for both economies and delivered shared prosperity for their peoples.

He noted that Pakistan remained among the largest importers of U. S. cotton and soybeans, supporting American farmers, while also emerging as an important market for U. S. hydrocarbons. Likewise, Pakistan’s growing demand for advanced machinery, technology and capital goods offered significant opportunities for U. S. manufacturers.

He said leading U. S. companies were exploring opportunities in Pakistan’s technology, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, energy, defence and manufacturing sectors, adding that the country’s ongoing structural reforms and competitive U. S. tariff regime had further enhanced its attractiveness as an investment destination.

DPM/FM Dar highlighted the role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), describing it as a one-window platform established to facilitate investors by streamlining approvals and ensuring effective coordination among government institutions.

He encouraged the visiting business leaders to continue engaging with the SIFC to convert emerging opportunities into long-term commercial partnerships.

“The Government of Pakistan remains committed to deepening its constructive engagement with the U. S. government, businesses, investors and entrepreneurs to expand bilateral trade and investment across goods and services, including IT, AI, energy, manufacturing, critical minerals, agriculture and other emerging sectors, ” he said.

He said Pakistan remained ready to offer competitive incentives for greater U. S. investment, including opportunities in special economic zones and technology parks.

The deputy prime minister also expressed the hope that the U. S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank), the U. S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the U. S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) would continue supporting expanded trade and investment between the two countries.

Inviting American investors to become partners in Pakistan’s economic transformation, the deputy prime minister assured them that the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, would continue providing full facilitation for their long-term success.

He said Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, D. C. , and its consulates across the United States would remain available to assist American investors in connecting with relevant institutions in Pakistan.

Highlighting the broader bilateral relationship, Ishaq Dar said Pakistan and the United States shared the common objective of promoting lasting peace, stability and prosperity. He said Pakistan remained committed to dialogue and diplomacy as the only sustainable path towards resolving disputes and maintaining regional peace.

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan had transformed its diplomatic standing over the past few years and was now widely recognised as a responsible peacemaker contributing to regional and international stability.

He urged members of the visiting U. S. business delegation to serve as ambassadors of Pakistan’s positive image in the United States and play an active role in promoting the country’s vast economic potential and investment opportunities among the American business community.

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.