Month: July 2026

Islamabad: Archbishop Dr. Joseph Arshad, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi, has expressed deep concern over the rising incidents of child sexual abuse and violence, calling the situation a national tragedy that requires urgent and effective action.

Addressing an event on the protection of children’s rights, Arshad said cases of child sexual abuse continue to increase, said a statement issued here.

The Archbishop strongly condemned the recent incidents of child abuse reported from different parts of the country, including the alleged abduction, sexual abuse and murder of seven-year-old Muntaha Zahra in Sargodha, as well as other reported cases in Karachi, Swat and elsewhere.

Arshad has appealed to the federal and provincial governments, law enforcement agencies, child protection departments and other relevant institutions to ensure strict action against those involved in such heinous crimes.

He said the Catholic Diocese of Islamabad-Rawalpindi had dedicated the current year as the “Year of Children” to promote children’s dignity, protection, education and holistic well-being. The Diocese, he added, would continue to raise awareness and encourage families, educational institutions, parishes and local communities to work together for the safety and development of every child.

The Archbishop also appealed to parents, teachers, religious leaders, the media, civil society and all citizens to recognize their collective responsibility in protecting children. He urged parents to remain vigilant, build trust with their children, educate them about personal safety and promptly report any suspected abuse to the relevant authorities.

He also called for collective efforts to ensure that every child could live free from fear, grow with dignity and look to the future with hope.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) on Wednesday launched its Internship Cohort 2026, welcoming 140 interns selected from 62 universities across Pakistan and abroad for research and policy training.

The institute linked the initiative with Pakistan’s vision of achieving a trillion-dollar economy by 2035 under URAAN Pakistan, saying it aims to nurture young talent through evidence-based research, policy engagement and professional training to support the country’s development agenda.

Speaking at the inaugural session, PIDE Vice Chancellor and Member of the Planning Commission of Pakistan Dr Nadeem Javaid said Pakistan stood at a critical juncture and required evidence-based, people-centred policymaking to address key development challenges, including the youth bulge, weak export performance, low human capital, climate vulnerability, energy constraints, social disparities, policy discontinuity and fiscal pressures.

He said Pakistan’s development challenge was not merely economic but also a human development emergency, stressing that countries investing in education, skills development, population management, women’s workforce participation and export competitiveness had achieved sustained economic progress.

He urged the interns to think critically and contribute innovative ideas to support national transformation, better governance and effective policymaking.

Earlier, Dean (Policy Advocacy) Dr Faheem Jehangir said the internship programme received 4,883 applications from Pakistan and abroad.

Following a rigorous selection process involving 14 interview panels, 278 candidates were shortlisted and 140 interns were selected for placement in 14 research centres, technical sections and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) projects.

He said the selected cohort represented 62 universities, with participants from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and overseas institutions.

The orientation session was also addressed by Dr Nasir Iqbal, Dr Karim Khan, Dr Shujaat Farooq, Dr Syed Hasanat Shah and Dr Nadeem Ahmed Khan, who introduced the interns to PIDE’s structure, research, academic programmes, policy advocacy, outreach initiatives, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and its professional training ecosystem.

Welcoming the interns, the PIDE management emphasized that informed ideas lead to better policies, and better policies lead to a stronger and more sustainable future.

The management said the internship programme aimed to connect young talent with real policy challenges, expose participants to evidence-based research, and equip them with analytical, writing, communication and professional skills needed to contribute effectively to Pakistan’s development process.

Islamabad: Participants of the Judicial Fellowship Programme, comprising judicial officers from across Pakistan, called on the Chief Justice of Pakistan at the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Wednesday.

The Fellowship Programme is being conducted under the auspices of the Sindh Judicial Academy in collaboration with the Research Society of International Law (RSIL).

During the meeting, the Chief Justice was informed that the Fellowship Programme has been launched in furtherance of his reform vision to promote judicial excellence through cross-provincial collaboration, professional capacity-building, research-based learning, judicial well-being, and exposure to diverse judicial practices.

Appreciating the initiative, the Chief Justice observed that such programmes foster institutional cohesion, facilitate the exchange of best practices, and strengthen the professional capacity of judicial officers. His Lordship underscored that continuous judicial education and inter-provincial engagement are vital to enhancing the quality, consistency, and credibility of the justice system.

The Chief Justice also briefed the participants on the judiciary’s ongoing reform agenda aimed at building a citizen-centric, technology-enabled, transparent, and efficient justice system.

Highlighting initiatives being implemented under the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), the Chief Justice shared that district courts across Pakistan are being equipped with solar energy systems, e-libraries, reliable internet connectivity, clean drinking water facilities, and safe spaces for women litigants through the Access to Justice Development Fund, with completion targeted by August 2026.

The CJP further informed the delegation that the Gender-Responsive Justice Initiative 2027 will expand Women Facilitation Centres across the country to ensure accessible, integrated, and dignified services for women court users.

The interaction concluded with a lively question-and-answer session, during which the Chief Justice responded to participants’ queries and encouraged judicial officers to remain committed to innovation, integrity, and service-oriented justice.

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research was informed on Wednesday that, in compliance with its earlier directions, 101 companies had been registered with the Russian Federation by July 7, 2026, to facilitate potato exports following the earlier import restrictions.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Syed Tariq Hussain in the chair and discussed matters relating to agriculture sector development as well as promoting the exports of the agro-based commodities from the country, said a press release.

The committee directed the ministry to take immediate measures to export the existing surplus potato stock to the Russian market to ensure farmers receive fair and remunerative prices.

To improve national food security and institutional coordination, the committee recommended the establishment of a centralized inter-ministerial and inter-provincial coordination cell at the federal level to strengthen collaboration on food security, regulatory oversight, market monitoring, export facilitation and the prevention of cross-border smuggling.

The Secretary, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, informed the committee that the PC-I for the proposed initiative had been finalized and would be implemented within three months. The committee decided to review progress on the initiative after the stipulated period.

The committee also sought an explanation from the ministry regarding the exclusion of the joint project of PARC and Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, for the establishment of the Dates Research Center at Khairpur from the PSDP 2026-27.

The Chairman, PARC, was directed to submit a written response to the queries raised by the members regarding his visits to Khairpur and Thatta, the commitments made during those visits and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) executed on those occasions.

The committee also questioned the transparency of the recruitment process for the appointment of 80 scientists. The ministry informed the committee that the recruitment process had been cancelled.

The committee recommended that the food authorities of all provinces and Islamabad submit their recommendations to PSQCA within one week. Thereafter, PSQCA was directed to convene a meeting of its technical committee, with the participation of all stakeholders, to revise beverage standards in light of the findings of NIH, provincial food authorities, and internationally accepted scientific research regarding the health effects of artificial sweeteners and chemical additives, particularly on children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

The committee further recommended that PSQCA issue comprehensive guidelines to provincial food authorities, make quarterly testing of beverages through PSQCA-recognized laboratories mandatory, and ensure effective monitoring and enforcement.

It also emphasized the need for clear product labelling identifying potential health risks, the prohibition of misleading fruit imagery on packaging, and the imposition of stringent penalties for violations. The committee further recommended increasing the minimum fruit pulp content in juice products to at least 10 percent.

Expressing serious concern over public health, the committee recommended that beverages containing artificial sweeteners should not be sold in schools and hospitals. It also sought details from provincial food authorities regarding fines imposed and samples collected during the previous six months under the existing quality standards.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction with the information provided and further recommended discouraging the sale of juices in plastic containers due to the potential health risks associated with such packaging.

During the meeting, the Vice President of the Multan Mango Growers Association informed the committee that the excessive consumption of artificially sweetened beverages was contributing to the increasing incidence of premature diabetes among children and adversely affecting pancreatic health.

The committee directed him to submit detailed recommendations for onward transmission to the ministry and recommended that he be invited to participate in the PSQCA Technical Committee meeting as a subject expert.

The Committee also deliberated on matters relating to mango exports and recommended that export schedules be determined according to variety and region, rather than through a uniform nationwide timeline, noting that mangoes in Sindh mature earlier than those in Punjab.

The committee directed the ministry to convene an inter-ministerial meeting on mango exports before its next meeting and submit a comprehensive report containing country-wise export data for the last five years, together with an assessment of export trends, existing challenges, and future prospects.

The meeting was attended by the Members of National Assembly including Waseem Qadir, Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan, Nadeem Abbas, Abdul Qadir Khan, Ms. Musarrat Asif Khawaja, Nazir Ahmed Bhugio, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, and Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi.

Islamabad: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has lauded Pakistan’s security forces for the elimination of 54 militants belonging to “Fitna al-Hindustan” during operations carried out in Balochistan over the past three days.

In a statement, the interior minister commended the bravery, professionalism and operational capabilities of the security forces, saying their timely action had thwarted the “nefarious designs” of India-sponsored militants.

Naqvi also paid tribute to the 42 security personnel and civilians who lost their lives during the operations, describing them as martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against terrorism.

“The brave sons of the nation acted swiftly to foil the malicious intentions of India-backed terrorists,” he said.

The minister said the martyrs were the pride of the entire nation and that the people of Pakistan would always remain indebted to their sacrifices.

He added that the sacrifices of the martyrs reflected the nation’s unwavering resolve to eradicate terrorism and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining peace and security.

Naqvi concluded by saluting the martyrs and their families, acknowledging their courage, resilience and enduring contribution to the country’s fight against militancy.

Islamabad: The Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, emphasized that regulators must maintain a balance between facilitating ease of doing business and ensuring effective enforcement of laws to promote a transparent and fair business environment.

He said a business-friendly regulatory framework is essential to encourage investment, support entrepreneurship, and strengthen market confidence.

He was chairing a meeting at the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to review the Commission’s performance and discuss key reforms focused on deepening Pakistan’s capital markets and facilitating local and foreign investors, said a press release issued by the SECP on Wednesday.

SECP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu, Commissioners Imtiaz Haider, Muhammad Ali Farid Khwaja, Muzzafar Ahmed Mirza and Zeeshan Rehman Khattak, along with senior officials, attended the meeting. Advisors to the Finance Minister, Mr. Khurram Schehzad and Mr. Omer M. Khan, were also present.

Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu briefed the minister on SECP’s key achievements, including registration of a record 18,057 new companies, issuance of 149 new licences to non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), and successful implementation of third-party motor insurance in Sindh, which recorded 1,300 percent growth within three months.

He also highlighted the approval of 10 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and addition of 127,907 new investors at the Pakistan Stock Exchange during the last six months, increasing the total investor base to over 583,052.

The minister was briefed on SECP’s enhanced supervisory and enforcement actions, including completion of 75 inspection reports, 13 investigations, issuance of 534 show-cause notices, and actions against illegal deposit-taking activities. SECP also issued 397 adjudication orders, resulting in penalties of over Rs. 20.857 million deposited into the Federal Consolidated Fund.

Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb appreciated SECP’s measures against non-compliant State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and emphasized improving governance standards. He directed SECP to keep Principal Accounting Officers of relevant ministries informed about compliance issues for timely corrective measures.

The minister also directed SECP to further simplify registration, licensing, and public offering processes through digitalization and reduced human intervention to encourage business growth and new listings.

Dr. Sidhu said SECP’s reform agenda is focused on strengthening People, Processes, and Technology to make regulatory services efficient, transparent, and responsive. He highlighted key initiatives including IBAN-based KYC verification, CDC ‘Asaan Connect’ app, Broker Referral Program, KTrade-JazzCash partnership, restructuring of IFMP, a proposed Pakistan stock market-based ETF in China, and digital access to gold trading.

The Finance Minister appreciated SECP’s reform initiatives and emphasized continued innovation, digital transformation, and regulatory facilitation to strengthen Pakistan’s financial markets.