Month: July 2026

Islamabad: The 15th meeting of the Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs of the National Assembly was convened here at the Parliament House, under the Chairmanship of Member National Assembly (MNA) Abdul Qadir Patel.

The meeting commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by collective prayers in remembrance of the civilians and members of the Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies who embraced martyrdom or lost their lives in various tragic incidents across different parts of the country, said a press release.

At the very outset, the Chairman introduced Muhammad Rajpar, Chairman, Pakistan Ships Agents Association. He sought the consensus of the Committee to permit him to attend the meeting as a special invitee to assist and apprise the Committee with his views and expert opinion, as and when required during the proceedings.

With the Committee’s consent, he joined the meeting as a special invitee. Muhammad Rajpar appreciated the efforts of the Minister in addressing the longstanding issues confronting the maritime and shipping sector. He informed the Committee that several matters which had remained unresolved for many years had been taken up by the Minister and resolved within a period of one month. He also acknowledged and appreciated the Committee for its keen interest and proactive consideration of issues affecting the shipping industry.

The Committee confirmed the minutes of the previous meeting and considered Agenda Item No. 2 regarding comprehensive reports on the implementation status of previous recommendations.

The Committee reviewed each recommendation individually. During the detailed deliberations, the Commissioner informed the Committee that, pursuant to its earlier recommendations, a case for the allotment of 300 acres of land for the proposed parking facility had been forwarded to the Board of Revenue for consideration.

The Minister said that, following the earlier site inspection and consultations between the Department and the Commissioner’s Office, an allotment of approximately 650 acres had originally been proposed.

The Committee observed that the proposed allotment of 300 acres would be inadequate to meet the existing and future parking requirements. Accordingly, it recommended that the adjoining land be earmarked and reserved for the future expansion of the parking facility.

The Committee further recommended that the case for the allotment of the earmarked land be processed on a priority basis and finalized expeditiously. It was also recommended that direction be issued to the Revenue Department to take up the matter on a priority basis.

During the detailed briefing, the Inspector General, Traffic Police, Sindh, informed the Committee that all its previous directions had been duly implemented and complied with. The Committee further recommended that the Traffic Police consider the deployment of 25 traffic personnel around Pakistan House and the premises of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic and reduce congestion in the area.

The Committee was informed that the KPT is ready to provide all necessary logistical and administrative support to facilitate the proposed deployment. The Committee also directed that the National Highway Authority (NHA) be invited to attend the next meeting to brief the Committee on the ongoing and proposed projects aimed at addressing traffic congestion in and around the Karachi Port area.

The Committee also constituted a Sub-Committee, under the convenership of Hassan Sabir, comprising Pullain Baloch and Ms. Romina Khurshid Alam, MNAs, as members to consider the Karachi Port Trust (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the proposal for the allotment of the adjoining land in addition to the 300 acres already recommended for allotment for the Karachi Port Trust’s proposed parking facility, with a view to meeting its future expansion requirements.

The Committee considered the Gwadar Port Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Port Qasim Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2025. After detailed deliberations, the Committee adopted minor amendments to both Bills and recommended that the Bills, as amended, be passed.

The Committee considered the Carriage Shipping Documents Bill, 2026 and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill, 2026. After detailed deliberations, the Committee recommended that the Bills, as introduced, be passed by the National Assembly.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Minister briefed the Committee that, owing to the dedicated efforts and hard work of the Ministry and its affiliated organizations, Pakistan’s ports had achieved a significant improvement in their international rankings. He stated that the progress was tangible and reflected the Ministry’s sustained commitment to enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of the country’s maritime sector.

The Minister also expressed his gratitude to the Committee for its constructive guidance, continued oversight, and serious consideration of issues relating to the maritime sector, which had contributed to the Ministry’s improved performance.

The Chairman and the Committee appreciated the performance of the Hon. Minister, his team, the Chairmen and staff of all Port Authorities, the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC), and the Fisheries Department for their dedicated efforts and valuable contributions towards improving the performance of Pakistan’s maritime sector.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Malik Shakir Bashir Awan, Ahmad Atteeq Anwer, Ms Romina Khurshid Alam, Jam Abdual Karim Bijar, Syed Rafiullah, Sardar Nabil Ahmed Gabol, Hassan Sabir, Muhammad Usman Badini, Pullain Baloch, the Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, in addition to the officers and staff from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Wednesday invited Bahrain to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s food security, information technology and tourism sectors.

During a meeting with Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Dr Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, on the sidelines of Geneva Digital Week and AI Week 2026, the minister highlighted the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) as a dedicated platform to facilitate and support foreign investment in Pakistan.

The two ministers discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the fields of information technology and telecommunications and agreed to further strengthen collaboration in these sectors.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to expanding cooperation and promoting stronger bilateral ties through partnerships in technology and telecommunications.

Islamabad: lamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police have arrested 15 suspects and recovered 15 pistols and one gun during a 24-hour crackdown against illegal weapons.

An official told reporter on Wednesday that cases had been registered against all the arrested suspects, while targeted operations were carried out in different parts of the federal capital as part of the ongoing “Weapon-Free Islamabad” campaign.

The official said the operation was aimed at eliminating illegal weapons and ensuring a safer environment for residents of the capital.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Muhammad Jawad Tariq said ICT Police remained fully committed to protecting the lives and property of citizens and would continue taking strict action against those involved in possessing or displaying illegal weapons.

He said special police teams were conducting targeted operations against individuals involved in keeping or displaying illegal weapons, adding that Islamabad Police had adopted a zero-tolerance policy against such offences.

The DIG Tariq also advised citizens possessing licensed weapons to ensure their firearms were duly registered with the relevant police stations in accordance with the law.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of lives and widespread destruction caused by devastating storms, tornadoes, landslides and heavy rains in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, as well as Hubei and Gansu provinces.

‘Deeply saddened by the devastating floods and heavy rains affecting our Chinese brothers and sisters. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and express Pakistan’s full solidarity with the people of China during this difficult time. Our ironclad friendship remains steadfast’, President Asif Zardari said in a statement.

The prime minister, in a separate statement extended, on behalf of the people of Pakistan, heartfelt condolences to President Xi Jinping, the Government and the people of China, especially the bereaved families.

“We stand in solidarity with our Chinese brothers and sisters during this difficult time and pray for the swift recovery of the injured and the success of ongoing rescue efforts,” the prime minister added.

Islamabad: The District and Sessions Court of Islamabad on Wednesday rejected the post-arrest bail application of YouTuber Razi Tahir in a case linked to controversial social media posts regarding an alleged meeting between the founder of PTI and a former senior public figure.

The case has been registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which is continuing its investigation.

Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah heard the bail petition and reserved the decision after listening to arguments from both sides. The court later dismissed the request for post-arrest bail.

During the hearing, the NCCIA prosecutor opposed the bail application and asked the court to keep the accused in custody. The prosecution informed the court that the investigation was still underway and that forensic examination reports of mobile phones and other electronic devices had not yet been received.

Counsel for the defense argued that the investigating agency had already obtained the accused’s mobile phone and account details. The lawyer maintained that questioning of the accused had been completed and there was no legal basis to continue his detention.

The defense further referred to several judgments of higher courts, arguing that the available evidence did not justify keeping the accused behind bars while the investigation proceeded.

In response, the prosecution stated that the forensic analysis of the seized devices remained an important part of the investigation and could provide further evidence related to the case. The agency requested the court to reject the bail plea until the investigative process was completed.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Judicial Magistrate Abbas Shah dismissed the post-arrest bail application of Razi Tahir.

The NCCIA has already registered a case against the YouTuber over the controversial tweets, and further legal proceedings will continue in accordance with the investigation findings.

Islamabad: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi on Wednesday chaired a meeting to review the ongoing recruitment process and directed officers to ensure its smooth, transparent and merit-based completion.

An official told reporter that the meeting was attended by Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Kainat Azhar Khan, DIG Safe City/Traffic Muhammad Haroon Joiya and other senior police officers, who briefed the IGP Rizvi on the progress of the recruitment process and arrangements made for its transparent execution.

Rizvi reviewed different stages of the recruitment exercise and instructed the officers concerned to strictly adhere to merit, transparency and fairness throughout the selection process.

IGP Rizvi emphasized that all recruitment-related procedures should be completed efficiently and in accordance with the prescribed rules to ensure equal opportunities for all eligible candidates.

He reaffirmed Islamabad Police’s commitment to conducting a transparent, credible and merit-based recruitment process aimed at selecting the most qualified candidates for the force, the official added.