Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

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.

Islamabad: Search and rescue teams have recovered the bodies of two mountaineers and transported them to Skardu after an avalanche struck a group attempting to summit Broad Peak in the Karakoram range.

Efforts are continuing to locate the remaining eight missing mountaineers from a team of 10 caught in the incident.

The rescue operation, involving Pakistan Army helicopters and ground teams, remains underway in the high-altitude region. Sources said the process of confirming the identities of the two recovered mountaineers was still in progress.

In a separate rescue during the same mission, an Italian climber who fell ill while participating in the K2 expedition was airlifted safely by a Pakistan Army helicopter.

The ground search and rescue mission for the missing mountaineers was being led by Pakistani mountaineer Sarbaz Khan. Rescue teams continued to search difficult terrain in an effort to locate those still unaccounted for.

According to rescue officials, the missing group included climbers from the United States, China, Nepal, and Oman, as well as Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi. Search teams were working across multiple sections of the mountain where the avalanche was believed to have struck.

The operation was being carried out through a combination of aerial and ground efforts. Alongside Pakistan Army helicopter missions, civil rescue teams had been assisting in the search operation and supporting efforts on the ground.

The accident occurred a day earlier when a team of mountaineers attempting to ascend Broad Peak was suddenly hit by an avalanche. The mountain, located in the Karakoram range of northern Pakistan, is one of the world’s highest peaks and attracts climbers from different countries each year.

Rescue officials said weather and terrain conditions remained a challenge, but search teams were continuing their efforts to locate the missing climbers.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the implementation of comprehensive reforms in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), stressing the need for greater transparency, stronger oversight, and enhanced institutional capacity to ensure an efficient and accountable petroleum sector.

Chairing a high-level meeting on revamping and digitization of OGRA, the prime minister said the government’s reform agenda must be implemented uniformly across all public institutions.

He instructed authorities to develop a robust nationwide fuel movement monitoring system by adopting the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) modern tracking mechanism as a model.

The prime minister also called for the use of advanced technology and software to digitally monitor the entire petroleum supply chain, from ports and refineries to petrol pumps, to improve transparency and curb irregularities.

To strengthen OGRA’s institutional capacity, he directed that reputable experts from the private sector be recruited through a transparent, merit-based process as part of the authority’s restructuring. He assured that the government would provide all necessary professional expertise to support the reform process.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to protecting public resources, the prime minister said every penny of taxpayers’ money would be safeguarded and warned that no one would be allowed to exploit consumers or manipulate the system.

He also instructed all regulatory authorities to establish formal coordination mechanisms with their respective ministries and directed that work on upgrading the country’s oil refineries under the approved policy be expedited.

During the meeting, OGRA Chairman briefed participants on the authority’s current performance, key challenges, and a comprehensive reform programme.

The meeting was informed that OGRA has made significant progress in digitally monitoring the petroleum supply chain through the activation of several systems, including the National Monitoring Dashboard, Tanker Track and Trace System, Depot Tank Telemetry, Rahguzar Mobile Application, Digital Sales Entry System at petrol pumps, and a Central Monitoring Cell.

Officials said these digital platforms are enabling more effective monitoring of petroleum products from transportation and storage to retail sales.

The prime minister was also informed that a data-driven enforcement campaign carried out during July 2026 detected multiple cases of hoarding, unnecessary supply disruptions, and other regulatory violations.

As a result, authorities issued show-cause notices, sought explanations from those involved, and initiated legal proceedings where necessary.

The meeting also reviewed OGRA’s broader reform agenda, which includes digitalization of the authority, restructuring of its enforcement mechanism, establishment of a compliance wing, reforms to the licensing framework, improved legal management, strengthening of financial resources, and reorganization of the institutional structure.

Appreciating the proposed reform programme, PM Shehbaz Sharif directed that the digital monitoring system be made fully operational as soon as possible to eliminate hoarding and profiteering while ensuring complete transparency in the oil and gas sector.

He emphasized that uninterrupted fuel supplies and fair pricing for consumers remained the government’s top priorities and made it clear that negligence or corruption would not be tolerated.

The prime minister also directed relevant ministries and departments to expedite all legal, administrative, and policy measures necessary to strengthen OGRA and modernize Pakistan’s regulatory framework.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Dr. Musadik Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Ali Pervaiz Malik, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa, and other senior government officials.

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: Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), Pakistan’s largest power distribution company, has saved the national exchequer more than Rs58 billion by reducing its financial gap from Rs79 billion to Rs21 billion over the past two years through aggressive loss reduction, improved recoveries and power sector reforms, setting a new national benchmark for performance, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on Thursday.

The company achieved a recovery rate of 101.05pc during the period, surpassing the 100pc benchmark set by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) for the first time.

Distribution losses declined from 15.8pc to 11.86pc, marking a four percentage point reduction , the largest two year loss reduction recorded by any electricity distribution company in the country’s history.

The achievement carries significant financial weight as LESCO, with an annual revenue base exceeding Rs1 trillion, generates an estimated Rs10bn improvement for every one percentage point reduction in losses.

The four point decline has therefore translated into one of the biggest efficiency gains ever recorded in Pakistan’s power distribution sector.

Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari said LESCO’s performance demonstrated that sustained oversight, accountability and data driven management could deliver tangible results in the power sector.

The ministry said the minister had closely monitored loss and recovery trends across distribution companies, ensuring management teams remained focused on meeting targets and improving field level enforcement.

According to the statement, the turnaround was driven by the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and supported by reforms introduced by the Power Division, including digitisation of billing and recovery systems, stricter anti theft measures, network modernisation, continuous performance monitoring and customer focused initiatives.

The ministry said independent boards of directors and a policy of non interference in operational matters had enabled professional management to implement reforms without political pressure.

It added that LESCO’s performance offered a model for other distribution companies and strengthened efforts to curb circular debt while improving the financial sustainability of the power sector.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON Engineer Amir Muqam on Friday urged the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to respect the outcome of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections instead of questioning the results, saying the party should examine why voters rejected it despite its influence in the region’s government and administrative structure.

Addressing a large public rally in Khawra, Muzaffarabad, in support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate for LA-31 Saqib Majeed Raja, the minister said the high voter turnout reflected the victory of democracy and the political maturity of the Kashmiri people.

“Rather than raising objections to the election results, the PPP should review the reasons behind its defeat,” he said, adding that the party’s allegations were unfounded as the AJK government and administrative machinery were already under its influence.

Mr Muqam said parties should avoid creating unnecessary political disputes and instead respect the public mandate.

He noted that PML-N also had reservations regarding results in certain constituencies but chose to uphold the democratic process.

Highlighting PML-N’s electoral performance, he said the party’s organisational efforts over the past two years had begun yielding results and expressed confidence that voters in Muzaffarabad Division would place even greater trust in the party after Mirpur.

Mr Muqam praised the police, district administration and the people of AJK for ensuring peaceful elections, describing them as deserving of appreciation for maintaining a democratic atmosphere.

On development projects, he announced that construction of the Khawra-Charkpora link road would be completed on a priority basis.

He also said the federal government was constructing five Daanish Schools in AJK and expressed the desire to establish one in Khawra as well.

The minister said the federal government would continue providing subsidies and relief measures for the people of AJK while pursuing development and public welfare projects across the region.

He further revealed that progress was under way on the Mansehra-Muzaffarabad-Mirpur Expressway project and that tenders for the scheme would be issued soon.

Paying tribute to Pakistan’s armed forces and the federal government, Mr Muqam said enemy designs had been thwarted through the leadership of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the armed forces.

PML-N candidate Saqib Majeed Raja pledged to fulfil his development commitments and serve the constituency if elected with public support.

The federal minister received a warm welcome on arrival at the rally venue, where party workers showered flower petals and raised slogans in support of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Amir Muqam.

A large number of party workers and supporters attended the gathering.