Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: The digital registration process for Hajj 2027-2030 is continuing through the online Hajj portal, with the number of registered intending pilgrims surpassing 325,000.

According to the spokesperson of the religious ministry, a total of 283,000 pilgrims registered through the Hajj portal, while 43,000 completed their registration using the Pak Hajj mobile application.

Among the registered applicants, 235,000 selected the government Hajj scheme, while 90,000 opted for the private Hajj scheme.

The registered pilgrims include 191,000 men and 134,000 women. The online Hajj registration process will continue until further announcement.

The National IT Board has also developed an online system for the collection of Hajj dues.

Details of the Hajj packages and the procedure for payment will be announced soon.

Islamabad: The 34th National Men’s Chess Championship and the 10th National Women’s Chess Championship concluded at the Pakistan Sports Complex, with Zaman Sohail and Fariha Siddiq emerging as the national champions after impressive performances.

The championships, organized by the Chess Federation of Pakistan, featured around 250 male and female players from across the country competing in various categories.

Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry attended the closing ceremony as chief guest and distributed trophies, medals, certificates and cash prizes among the winners.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said Pakistan’s international standing was steadily improving and its diplomatic stature had strengthened globally. He highlighted the government’s commitment to promoting sports, identifying young talent and providing greater opportunities for athletes.

Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also praised Chess Federation of Pakistan President Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi for his contributions to sports, expressing confidence that the federation would continue to promote chess and enhance Pakistan’s presence in international competitions.

In the men’s championship, Higher Education Commission (HEC) player Zaman Sohail secured the national title with five points. Punjab’s M. Zarwaiz Shabkhaiz finished second with 4.5 points, while HEC’s A.R. Akhtar claimed third place on the basis of a tie-break after also scoring 4.5 points.

In the women’s championship, Punjab’s Fariha Siddiq remained unbeaten throughout the event to win the national title with 10.5 points. Zainobia Wasif finished runner-up with nine points, while Javeria secured third position with eight points.

Federal Secretary for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani congratulated the Chess Federation of Pakistan on successfully organizing the championships and assured continued government support for the promotion of chess.

Member of the National Assembly and Chairperson of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar announced a cash award of Rs100,000 for special athlete Saeeba Shah and Rs25,000 for the oldest participant of the championship.

Senator Nuzhat Sadiq and MNA Farah Naz Akbar also appreciated the federation’s efforts in promoting chess and encouraging young talent.

The ceremony concluded with the distribution of awards to the winning players, while Chess Federation of Pakistan President Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi thanked the distinguished guests, participants, officials and media representatives for contributing to the successful staging of the national championships.

Islamabad: Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday lauded renowned scholar, author and columnist Dr Farooq Adil for his outstanding literary and intellectual contributions, particularly his efforts to promote closer cultural and people-to-people relations between Pakistan and Trkiye.

The prime minister expressed these views during a meeting with Dr Farooq Adil here at the Prime Minister’s Office, a PM Office news release said.

Dr Farooq Adil presented his travelogue titled “Shakh-e-Zareen ke Dayen Bayen” (On Both Sides of the Golden Branch) to the prime minister.

Islamabad: The benchmark KSE-100 Index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) staged a strong recovery on Wednesday, gaining 1,766.97 points, a positive change of 1.02 percent, to close at 175,285.78 points against 173,518.82 points recorded on the previous trading day.

During the session, the ready market recorded a trading volume of 583.805 million shares with a traded value of Rs26.045 billion, compared to 912.614 million shares valuing Rs45.614 billion in the previous session. The market capitalization increased to Rs19.783 trillion from Rs19.584 trillion a day earlier.

Out of 495 active companies in the ready market, 361 advanced, 104 declined, and 30 remained unchanged.

K-Electric Ltd. led the volume chart with 52.695 million shares, followed by Cnergyico PK with 37.967 million shares and TPL Properties with 27.820 million shares.

The top gainers included PIA Holding Company LimitedB, which surged by Rs688.00 to close at Rs18,294.00, and Unilever Pakistan Foods Limited, which gained Rs165.00 to settle at Rs25,525.00.

On the losing side, Khairpur Sugar Mills Limited declined by Rs131.02 to close at Rs2,310.46, while Shield Corporation Limited fell by Rs39.95 to settle at Rs750.15.

In the futures (DFC) market, turnover stood at 133.839 million shares with a traded value of Rs6.255 billion, compared to 223.550 million shares worth Rs11.398 billion in the previous session.

Out of 302 futures-market companies, 235 advanced, 64 declined, and three remained unchanged.

Islamabad: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), in collaboration with the Board of Investment (BOI), organized an awareness session on the Business Facilitation Centre (BFC), established here by the BOI.

The event was aimed at to familiarize the business community with the government’s flagship one-window initiative designed to simplify investment procedures, improve inter-agency coordination and enhance Pakistan’s ease of doing business.

Addressing the session as the chief guest, Additional Secretary and Executive Director General, Board of Investment, Zulfiqar Ali, described the Business Facilitation Centre as a landmark initiative aimed at creating a more investor-friendly business environment in Pakistan.

He said the Centre has been designed to provide investors and entrepreneurs with seamless access to a broad range of government services through a single platform, eliminating the need to approach multiple departments separately.

He said the BFC offered comprehensive facilitation in company registration, business incorporation, investment approvals, licensing, regulatory compliance, documentation, tax guidance and coordination with relevant government agencies.

By integrating these services under one roof, he noted, the Centre would reduce procedural delays, enhance transparency, improve institutional coordination and strengthen investor confidence.

Zulfiqar Ali reaffirmed the Board of Investment’s commitment to providing an efficient and responsive facilitation mechanism for both domestic and foreign investors.

He urged the business community to fully utilize the Business Facilitation Centre and its digital platform to expedite business operations and capitalize on emerging investment opportunities in Pakistan.

Earlier, welcoming the guests and participants, Acting President ICCI Tahir Ayub said the private sector requires efficient, transparent and accessible public services to remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.

He observed that initiatives such as the Business Facilitation Centre were not merely administrative reforms but strategic interventions that would help transform Pakistan into a more competitive and investment-friendly economy.

He expressed confidence that the Business Facilitation Centre would play a pivotal role in improving Pakistan’s ease of doing business, attracting greater domestic and foreign investment and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

A comprehensive technical presentation was delivered by Sabih-ul-Hussain Warsi, Manager, Business Facilitation Centre, Board of Investment, who gave a detailed briefing about the BFC as well as the milestones achieved by the initiative.

ICCI Vice President, Irfan Chaudhry reaffirmed ICCI’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with government institutions to promote investor facilitation, improve the ease of doing business and foster sustainable economic growth.

Islamabad: Federal ministers on Wednesday termed the upcoming Pakistan-China Business-to-Business (B2B) and Investment Conference a landmark initiative aimed at attracting foreign investment, enhancing bilateral economic cooperation, and accelerating Pakistan’s export-led growth strategy.

Addressing a joint press conference, Federal Minister for Board of Investment (BOI) Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan said the two-day conference, scheduled for July 17-18, will bring together around 500 Chinese investors and Pakistani businesses to explore investment opportunities, particularly in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors.

Speaking on the occasion, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said the conference would serve as a milestone in strengthening Pakistan-China economic ties and expanding the country’s manufacturing base to support sustainable export growth.

“The primary focus of the conference is to attract investment in pharmaceuticals and other high-potential sectors of the economy. Manufacturing-led growth remains the government’s top priority, alongside the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs),” he said.

The minister said the government is implementing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s vision of promoting industrial and agricultural development through manufacturing and SMEs, adding that financial support and liquidity facilities are being extended to the sector to encourage business expansion and job creation.

Highlighting improvements in the country’s economic indicators, Sheikh said Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves have increased to $18 billion, compared to around $4 billion when the current government assumed office.

He added that the government, through the Board of Investment (BOI) and the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), is providing incentives and facilitation to both local and foreign investors, including access to land in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) at competitive rates.

He noted that several investment agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) have already been signed to promote foreign direct investment.

Speaking at the press conference, SAPM Haroon Akhtar Khan said the Pakistan-China B2B and Investment Conference would act as a catalyst for expanding manufacturing capacity and increasing exports.

He revealed that seven international companies are ready to establish manufacturing operations in Pakistan, including vaccine production facilities, describing it as a historic development for the country’s pharmaceutical industry.

Haroon Akhtar said Pakistan’s efforts to maintain regional peace would help create a conducive environment for economic growth and investment.

He further said the participation of approximately 500 Chinese investors is expected to result in business agreements and MoUs with Pakistani companies, enhancing industrial competitiveness and opening new avenues for bilateral trade.

The SAPM added that the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) are working with us jointly to promote investment and support the country’s export-led economic agenda.

The Pakistan-China Business-to-Business and Investment Conference is expected to provide a major platform for fostering strategic partnerships, encouraging technology transfer, and attracting investment across key sectors of Pakistan’s economy.