Day: August 1, 2026

Islamabad: Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme, Senator Rubina Khalid on Friday paid glowing tribute to Madar-e-Millat, Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah on her 133rd birth anniversary, saying her unwavering commitment to democracy, the constitution and the rights of the people continued to inspire the nation.

In a message issued on the occasion, Senator Rubina Khalid extended heartfelt congratulations to the entire nation on the birth anniversary of Madar-e-Millat and paid rich tribute to her invaluable national services.

She said the 133rd birth anniversary of Fatima Jinnah reminded the nation of her unparalleled struggle for democracy, constitutional supremacy and the protection of public rights.

She added that Fatima Jinnah played a historic role in creating awareness among women about their active participation in national development and the democratic process, and her contributions would always be remembered.

The BISP chairperson said Fatima Jinnah’s honesty, courage and principled politics served as a guiding light for future generations.

She urged the nation to renew its commitment to building a stronger, democratic and people-centric Pakistan by following the vision and ideals of Madar-e-Millat. Senator Rubina Khalid also said the Benazir Income Support Programme would continue to draw inspiration from Fatima Jinnah’s vision in its mission to empower women and promote their socio-economic development.

She reaffirmed that the nation saluted the outstanding services of Madar-e-Millat, whose name would always be remembered with the utmost respect and honour.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan on Friday directed the Director General Trade Organizations (DGTO) to ensure that the upcoming nationwide elections of Chambers of Commerce and trade associations are conducted in a transparent, fair and credible manner through strengthened monitoring, digitalization and institutional reforms.

Addressing the media in his video message after receiving a detailed briefing from Director General Trade Organizations (DGTO) Bilal Khan Pasha on preparations for the 2026-28 trade bodies’ elections, the Minister said the Government remains committed to strengthening the institutional framework governing trade organizations and ensuring that the electoral process reflects the highest standards of transparency, accountability and fairness.

Jam Kamal Khan said that following Parliament’s approval of amendments to the Trade Organizations Act, significant reforms have been introduced to streamline the regulatory framework and improve the functioning of trade organizations.

He added that the Ministry of Commerce is extending full institutional support to the DGTO to modernize and digitalize its operations so that it can facilitate Chambers and Trade Associations more effectively, both during the elections and beyond.

The Minister directed the DGTO to accelerate the digital transformation of election management by establishing a dedicated elections portal on the Ministry’s website carrying election schedules, applicable laws and rules, notifications, voter lists, election results and other relevant information for stakeholders.

He also instructed the DGTO to develop a digital dashboard for real-time monitoring of election activities across the country and directed all trade organizations to submit election schedules, voter lists and election results in soft-copy format to facilitate efficient digital management and oversight.

Emphasizing transparency and equal access to information, the Minister directed that final voter lists be published in accordance with the Trade Organizations Act and Rules and that comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) be issued to ensure uniform implementation of election procedures across all trade organizations.

Jam Kamal Khan further highlighted that, for the first time, the DGTO has been strengthened with additional human resources to support election monitoring.

Officers from the Ministry of Commerce, Trade Development Authority Pakistan, State Life Insurance Corporation and other government organizations will serve as independent observers and witnesses during the elections to enhance transparency and provide credible documentation for any subsequent complaints or appeals.

The Minister also said that the Ministry is coordinating with provincial authorities to ensure appropriate administrative and security support at larger polling venues where high voter turnout is expected, to maintain a peaceful and orderly election environment.

He encouraged Chambers and Trade Associations to modernize their own internal election management systems by adopting stronger monitoring mechanisms and greater use of digital tools, noting that transparent and well-documented processes would significantly reduce post-election disputes and appeals.

Earlier, DGTO Bilal Khan Pasha briefed the Minister that the election process for Chambers of Commerce and Trade Associations has commenced and will continue until 30 September 2026, while elections of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) will begin on 1 October and conclude by 31 December 2026.

He informed the Minister that around 380 registered trade organizations fall under the DGTO’s regulatory framework, of which 320 organizations are scheduled to hold elections this year.

The DGTO further briefed the Minister on the complete election process, including preparation of voter lists, scrutiny of nominations, constitution of election commissions, ballot paper management, polling arrangements, monitoring mechanisms, dispute resolution procedures and post-election appeals.

The Minister informed the House that comprehensive arrangements have been made to strengthen transparency through deployment of trained election observers, development of SOPs, improved documentation of polling and vote counting, and enhanced coordination with relevant authorities wherever required.

Concluding his remarks, Federal Minister Jam Kamal Khan directed officials to maintain complete neutrality, ensure strict compliance with the Trade Organizations Act and Rules, and facilitate free, fair and transparent elections throughout the country.

He also extended his best wishes to all Chambers, Trade Associations, candidates and voters participating in the 2026-28 trade bodies’ elections, expressing confidence that the entire electoral process would be completed peacefully, transparently and in a spirit of cooperation.

Islamabad: The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on providing market-driven vocational training to Punjab’s most vulnerable segments, particularly women and youth, under the Benazir Hunarmand Programme.

The MoU signing ceremony was held at the PSDF office in Lahore. The ceremony was attended by Director General CI BISP Syeda Adeela Bokhari, Director General Punjab BISP Haider Murtaza, Deputy Director (NSER Punjab) Roheena Iqbal, Focal Person Benazir Hunarmand Programme Humaira Farooq, Regional Outreach Coordinator (Punjab) Benazir Hunarmand Programme Nayab Jan, PSDF Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Khan, Manager Program Design Ummara Zeeshan, Jafar Ali, Specialist Program Design, and other officials.

Under the partnership, BISP will mobilise eligible beneficiaries through its regional network and the National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER), enabling deserving women and youth to access quality vocational training opportunities. In addition to beneficiary mobilisation through BISP’s outreach mechanism, eligible candidates will also be able to self-register through the Benazir Hunarmand Portal, ensuring wider accessibility and participation in the programme.

As part of the collaboration, PSDF will provide market-driven vocational training, learning materials, stipends where applicable, and co-branded certifications recognised by the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and aligned with the Higher Education Commission’s National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF).

The partnership aims to establish a structured graduation pathway from social protection to sustainable employment by equipping beneficiaries with industry-relevant skills, enhancing their employability, and creating better livelihood opportunities.

Through this initiative, BISP and PSDF seek to empower vulnerable women and youth with market-oriented technical and vocational skills, enabling them to achieve economic self-reliance and contribute to the country’s workforce and economic development.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday paid tribute to Madar-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah on her 133rd birth anniversary, recalling her as a trustworthy companion of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and a distinguished leader of the Pakistan Movement.

The president, in a statement, said that Fatima Jinnah was a strong champion of democratic values, who encouraged women to play an active and effective role in national life and the freedom movement.

Calling her struggle a guiding light for the nation even today, he said that the services of Fatima Jinnah to the nation, democracy and society would always be remembered with profound respect.

President Zardari prayed to Allah Almighty for the elevation of Fatima Jinnah’s ranks in paradise.

Islamabad: The benchmark KSE-100 Index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a recovery on Friday, gaining 546.13 points, a positive change of 0.31 percent, to close at 176,094.12 points against 175,547.98 points recorded in the previous trading session.

The ready market witnessed a trading volume of 880.951 million shares, compared to 711.201 million shares traded in the previous session, while the traded value slipped to Rs24.957 billion from Rs25.396 billion. Market capitalisation increased to Rs19.756 trillion from Rs19.718 trillion recorded a day earlier.

Out of 493 companies that traded in the ready market, 273 posted gains, 185 suffered losses, while 35 remained unchanged, reflecting a predominantly bullish trend across the market.

Trust Brokerage led the volume chart with 178.797 million shares, followed by Dadabhoy Cement with 81.741 million shares and Cnergyico PK with 50.457 million shares.

Among the top gainers, The Thal Industries Corporation Limited surged by Rs104.68 to close at Rs1,151.46, while Nestle Pakistan Limited advanced by Rs91.49 to settle at Rs7,913.37.

On the losing side, PIA Holding Company LimitedB declined by Rs372.50 to close at Rs17,627.50, while Khyber Textile Mills Limited fell by Rs74.65 to Rs2,002.81.

In the futures (DFC) market, turnover stood at 582.375 million shares with a traded value of Rs24.919 billion, compared with 382.309 million shares worth Rs17.732 billion in the previous session.

Of the 307 companies traded in the futures market, 136 advanced, 157 declined and 14 remained unchanged.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that a claim for pre-emption cannot be maintained where ownership of a property has been transferred through an exchange rather than a sale, holding that the right of pre-emption is a weak legal right and the relevant law must therefore be construed strictly.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan and Justice Musarrat Hilali issued the reserved judgment in Civil Appeals Nos. 28-L, 29-L and 30-L of 2011.

The Court held that the record clearly established that the transaction between the parties was an exchange of properties and not a sale. It observed that the plaintiff had failed to prove that the transaction, though recorded as an exchange, was in fact a sale.

Consequently, the claim for pre-emption was held to be legally untenable.

The judgment stated that courts cannot treat a transaction recorded as an exchange as a sale merely on the basis of conjecture. It emphasized that where a mutation records an exchange, no right of pre-emption arises unless strong and reliable evidence is produced to establish otherwise.

The Court further held that the plaintiff had also failed to prove compliance with the mandatory legal requirements relating to Talab-i-Ishhad (affirmation of the claim before witnesses). It noted that the concerned postman had not been produced as a witness to establish the service of the registered notice, despite the defendants denying receipt of the notice.

Referring to earlier Supreme Court precedents, the bench observed that in such circumstances the testimony of the postman is indispensable, and failure to produce him constitutes a fatal defect in the plaintiff’s case.

The judgment also noted that the plaintiff had failed to explain how he became aware of the alleged sale price.

According to the Court, a claimant seeking to enforce the right of pre-emption must establish not only the transaction itself but also the lawful source of his knowledge regarding the sale consideration.

On these grounds, the Supreme Court allowed the appeals, set aside the judgments of the Lahore High Court and the appellate court, and restored the trial court’s decision dismissing the pre-emption suit.