Day: August 1, 2026

Islamabad: Speaker National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Friday expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the coal mine accident in the Soranj area on the outskirts of Quetta.

In a statement, the Speaker termed the incident as a tragic and deeply unfortunate accident, saying that hardworking labourers were a valuable asset to the country.

He extended his heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families and said that he shared their grief in this difficult time.

Ayaz Sadiq directed the relevant authorities to ensure the provision of the best possible medical treatment to those injured in the incident.

He also prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls, patience and fortitude for the bereaved families, and the speedy recovery of the injured.

Islamabad: Pakistan have moved up one place to 12th in the latest International Hockey Federation (FIH) world rankings, earning 2,544.54 ranking points.

According to a spokesman for the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the improvement reflects the national team’s impressive performances and consistent efforts in recent international tournaments. As a result of Pakistan’s rise, South Africa have slipped to 13th place, while Malaysia are now ranked 14th.

The PHF spokesman said the national team’s immediate target is to break back into the world’s top 10. “With the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 approaching, where Pakistan have been placed in Pool D alongside India, England and Wales, the nation expects strong performances from the team.

The players are working tirelessly, and this improvement in the world rankings will further boost their confidence ahead of the World Cup,” the spokesman added.

Islamabad: President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Sardar Tahir Mehmood, on Friday stressed the urgent need for adopting a comprehensive export-led growth strategy, saying that sustainable economic prosperity, employment generation and macroeconomic stability could only be achieved by significantly enhancing Pakistan’s exports.

Talking to different delegations from the trade and industrial sectors here, he said Pakistan possessed immense industrial and entrepreneurial potential, but structural challenges, high cost of doing business, expensive energy, cumbersome taxation, regulatory bottlenecks and limited access to global markets continued to constrain the country’s export performance, said a press release.

Tahir Mehmood urged the government to formulate a long-term, predictable and business-friendly export policy that encouraged industrial expansion, value addition, innovation and diversification of export markets.

He emphasized that facilitating exporters through simplified procedures, affordable financing, technological upgradation and a competitive business environment was essential to unlocking Pakistan’s true export potential.

The private sector stood ready to work closely with the government in developing practical policies that promoted investment, industrialization and export competitiveness, he said adding that stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors would help restore investor confidence and place the national economy on the path of sustainable growth.

He reiterated ICCI’s commitment to serving as an effective bridge between the business community and policymakers, adding that the Chamber would continue advocating reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business and strengthening Pakistan’s position in international markets.

Islamabad: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday issued a nationwide flood alert from July 31 to August 2, warning of rising river flows, possible flash floods, urban flooding and landslides across several parts of Pakistan due to ongoing monsoon rains, while directing local administrations to take precautionary measures and urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas.

According to the NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), a medium-level flood is continuing at Guddu Barrage on the Indus River, while low-level flooding persists at Kalabagh, Chashma and Sukkur.

The authority warned that water flows in the Chenab River could rise to medium-to-high levels at Marala, while Khanki and Qadirabad may experience low-to-medium flows over the next two days.

Low-to-medium flood levels are also expected in the Jhelum, Ravi and Kabul rivers, as well as their associated streams and tributaries. Authorities forecast a significant increase in water flow in nullahs linked to the Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers.

The alert highlighted the risk of intense flows in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, while flash flooding is also feared in seasonal streams across central and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan.

NDMA identified Mohmand, Bajaur, Buner, Mardan, Kurram, South Waziristan, Shangla and Peshawar among the districts where streams and nullahs could overflow.

In Balochistan, flash floods may occur in the Nari, Bolan, Kangri and Lehri river systems due to heavy rainfall in upper catchment areas.

The authority also warned of urban flooding and water accumulation in low-lying areas of several Punjab cities, including Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Lahore, Okara, Sahiwal and Faisalabad.

In Sindh, urban flooding is feared in Nawabshah, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sanghar, Khairpur, Mithi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar and Tharparkar.

Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda and Mardan are also identified as vulnerable to urban flooding during the ongoing spell.

NDMA advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel to flood-prone areas and warned that landslides, debris flows and flash floods could occur in mountainous regions during the monsoon season.

Citizens were urged not to cross flooded roads, streams or fast-flowing water on foot or by vehicle, as even shallow water currents can sweep away people and vehicles.

The authority further advised travellers to carry drinking water, dry food, first-aid supplies, flashlights, power banks and emergency contact information, and to stay updated through the official Pak NDMA Disaster Alert mobile application.

Local administrations have been directed to remain vigilant, implement preventive measures and ensure preparedness for any emergency arising from the evolving monsoon situation.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has set for hearing an appeal filed by the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking his transfer to a hospital after Chief Justice Yahya Afridi set aside the Registrar Office’s objections and ordered the petition to be assigned a regular case number.

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi heard the chamber appeal on Friday against the Registrar Office’s objections to the petition relating to the PTI founder’s transfer to a hospital.

During the proceedings, counsel for the PTI founder, Uzair Karamat Bhandari, appeared before the court. The Chief Justice directed the counsel to submit a duly signed vakalatnama (power of attorney).

The court ordered the Registrar Office to assign a regular number to the appeal and club it with a pending petition of Uzma Khan.

The Chief Justice also accepted the request for an early hearing of both the PTI founder’s petition and the petition filed by Uzma Khan.

Islamabad: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has urged the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to launch a Faceless Income Tax Refund System to enable the automated processing of eligible tax refunds and their direct electronic transfer into taxpayers’ bank accounts, saying the move would reduce delays and improve taxpayer facilitation.

The recommendation came while deciding a complaint filed by M/s Sprint Oil and Gas Services FZC, which sought the release of an income tax refund of Rs 42.86 million for tax year 2025. The company had submitted its online refund application on April 13, but alleged that the refund remained pending despite the expiry of the statutory 60-day processing period.

According to the complaint, the delay constituted maladministration under the Federal Tax Ombudsman Ordinance, 2000. The complainant also referred to an Islamabad High Court directive calling for the implementation of an automated refund mechanism under Section 170A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001, to minimise taxpayer interaction with tax offices and speed up refund payments.

In its response, the Chief Commissioner Inland Revenue, Corporate Tax Office (CTO), Islamabad, stated that refund applications were being processed on a first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis under FBR instructions and that the taxpayer’s claim was still under verification after notices were issued seeking supporting documents.

After reviewing the record, the Tax Ombudsman Zafar Hijazi ruled that the refund application had remained pending beyond the statutory timeframe and that such delay amounted to maladministration due to departmental neglect and inattention. The FTO rejected the department’s reliance on the FIFO policy as a justification for prolonged delays, observing that administrative procedures could not override taxpayers’ legal rights.

The FTO directed FBR to instruct the Commissioner Inland Revenue (Refund Zone), CTO Islamabad, to decide the pending refund claim in accordance with the law after determining the nature of the taxes paid or deducted and submit a compliance report within 30 days.

In a significant policy recommendation, the Ombudsman advised FBR to operationalise a Faceless Income Tax Refund System under Section 170A of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001. The proposed system would allow refunds, verified through the Board’s computerised system, to be transferred electronically into taxpayers’ notified bank accounts without requiring formal refund applications, similar to the faceless customs clearance and assessment regimes already introduced by FBR.

The FTO said such a mechanism would enhance efficiency, reduce taxpayer hardship and promote a modern, technology-driven tax administration.