Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday extended felicitations to the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the people of France on their National Day.

President Zardari, in his message, conveyed that Pakistan highly values its long-standing friendship and multifaceted partnership with France, founded on mutual respect, shared values and a steadfast commitment to peace, sustainable development and international law.

He expressed confidence that the close cooperation between the two countries will continue to grow and expand in areas of mutual interest, further strengthening the bonds of friendship and advancing the shared prosperity and well-being of the people of both nations.

The president reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to further deepening bilateral relations and enhancing cooperation in multilateral forums on issues of mutual interest.

Islamabad: Acting President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Tahir Ayub, has called for translating the time-tested fraternal relations between Pakistan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into a vibrant economic partnership by harnessing the immense opportunities created under Saudi Vision 2030.

He said enhanced commercial diplomacy, stronger private-sector collaboration, and increased investment would open a new chapter of shared prosperity for the two brotherly nations.

He expressed these views while addressing a Business Session on “KSA Vision 2030 and Saudi-Pakistan Investment Opportunities” organized by ICCI.

Welcoming the delegation, Tahir Ayub said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy an enduring relationship founded on shared faith, mutual trust, and unwavering friendship.

He observed that Saudi Vision 2030 has emerged as one of the world’s most ambitious economic transformation programmes, creating unprecedented opportunities in infrastructure, tourism, logistics, manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, renewable energy, mining, financial services, and other high-growth sectors.

He said Pakistan offers an attractive investment destination owing to its strategic location, competitive workforce, expanding digital economy, rich natural resources, and significant potential in agriculture, mining, information technology, tourism, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

The Acting President reaffirmed ICCI’s commitment to serving as a strong bridge between the business communities of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia by facilitating business-to-business networking, identifying reliable local partners, organizing trade and investment exchanges, and supporting joint ventures.

He urged the private sectors of both countries to transform today’s dialogue into practical business partnerships that contribute to sustainable economic growth.

Speaking on the occasion, Bilal Mohammad Zubair, Chairman of Al Raee Group, highlighted the Group’s role as one of Saudi Arabia’s leading business setup and investment facilitation firms, providing comprehensive solutions for international investors seeking to establish and expand their businesses in the Kingdom.

He said the Group offers end-to-end services including company formation, investment licensing, commercial registration, regulatory compliance, PRO and government liaison services, corporate structuring, banking facilitation, accounting and tax advisory, office setup, and business consultancy.

He said Al Raee Group is committed to helping Pakistani entrepreneurs, exporters, manufacturers, and investors successfully enter the Saudi market by providing professional guidance and seamless facilitation in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

Ms. Zohra Hotiana, Country Head of Al Raee Group Pakistan, said the establishment of the Group’s Pakistan office reflects its commitment to building a strong institutional bridge between the business communities of the two countries.

She said the office will serve as a dedicated platform for Pakistani businesses by providing market-entry support, investment advisory, business matchmaking, regulatory guidance, and corporate facilitation services.

In his vote of thanks, Vice President Irfan Chaudhry said that Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry is committed to working closely with Al Raee Group and the Saudi partners to facilitate business-to-business collaboration, promote investment, and create new opportunities for our entrepreneurs.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast near-normal rainfall across Gilgit-Baltistan and adjoining parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the current monsoon season, while warning that above-normal temperatures could accelerate snow and glacier melt, increasing the risk of localized flooding and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs).

According to the PMD’s seasonal outlook for Pakistan’s Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya (HKH) region, the forecast is broadly consistent with assessments issued by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Climate Center (APCC), the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), and the 34th Session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF-34), all of which indicate a tendency toward near-normal precipitation across parts of the northwestern HKH region.

The department said seasonal temperatures are expected to remain above normal across most parts of the HKH region, with relatively larger positive temperature departures likely over eastern Gilgit-Baltistan and adjoining areas.

The warmer conditions are expected to accelerate seasonal snow and glacier melt, contributing to enhanced river flows during the monsoon period.

The PMD said the anticipated near-normal rainfall is expected to support water availability and sustain river inflows originating from the northern mountain catchments.

However, it cautioned that enhanced rainfall combined with accelerated snow and glacier melt may increase river discharges and elevate the risk of localized flooding in vulnerable valleys.

It warned that intense short-duration rainfall events could trigger flash floods, landslides, debris flows and slope failures, particularly in mountainous terrain.

The department further noted that above-normal temperatures may increase runoff and heighten glacier-related hazards, including the possibility of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in vulnerable high-altitude catchments.

The PMD advised communities living near rivers, streams, steep slopes and glacial valleys to remain vigilant and strictly follow weather and flood advisories issued by the relevant authorities throughout the monsoon season.

Overall, the department said the 2026 monsoon season is expected to provide generally favourable moisture conditions across Pakistan’s HKH region.

However, it emphasized that above-normal temperatures and the possibility of localized heavy rainfall events could increase hydro-meteorological hazards, highlighting the need for continued preparedness and close monitoring of weather and flood forecasts.

Islamabad: Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Tuesday released 268,800 cusecs of water from various rim stations with an inflow of 340,200 cusecs.

According to the data released by IRSA, the water level in the River Indus at Tarbela Dam stood at 1501.53 feet, which was 99.53 feet higher than the dead level of 1402.00 feet. Water inflow and outflow in the dam were recorded as 213,600 cusecs and 157,600 cusecs, respectively.

The water level in the Jhelum River at Mangla Dam was 1172.40 feet, which was 122.40 feet higher than its dead level of 1,050 feet. The inflow and outflow of water were recorded as 56,900 cusecs and 27,600 cusecs, respectively.

The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa, Guddu and Sukkur was recorded as 213,200, 179,800, 139,300, and 67,700 cusecs, respectively. Similarly, from River Kabul, a total of 42,300 cusecs of water was released at Nowshera, and 27,600 cusecs were released from River Chenab at Marala.

Islamabad: Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned the attacks on Saudi Arabia, describing them as a blatant violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with the potential to further undermine regional peace and stability.

“Pakistan strongly condemns the blatant attacks carried out against the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia last night,” the prime minister said in a post on X, adding, “Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering support for the Kingdom’s security and stands in complete solidarity with the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at this critical time”.

On its part, Pakistan would continue to support all sincere efforts aimed at promoting peace, stability, security, and mutual understanding across the region, the prime minister added.

Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to expedite the investigation into the alleged leakage of Cambridge A-Level examination papers and ensure that the matter is resolved before July 21.

The committee expressed concern over the issue during its meeting held on Tuesday at Parliament chaired by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt.

During the meeting, the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) informed the committee that it had shared the available evidence with Cambridge Assessment and the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for investigation and appropriate action.

The chair directed that letters be issued to the relevant authorities, urging them to expedite the investigation and ensure that the matter is resolved before July 21.

The Committee was briefed on the issue of degree attestation for graduates of unauthorized campuses of PIMSAT, the University of South Asia, Lahore, and NICE, Karachi.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) representatives informed the Committee that, out of approximately 6,000 affected students, the cases of 4,383 students had been approved for consideration for degree attestation.

It was further informed that an online facility had been introduced to facilitate the attestation process. The Chairperson directed the concerned authorities to submit, at the next meeting, a detailed report indicating the number of degrees attested through the online system.

The Committee also deliberated on the long-pending issue of non-attestation of degrees awarded by Al-Khair University.

It was also informed that the Commission had planned to conduct a test for the students before verifying their degrees; however, the test has yet to be conducted.

The Committee recommended that HEC resolve the matter by adopting the policy previously applied in the case of Global University, Lahore, and submit a comprehensive report to the Committee within 10 to 15 days.

Expressing serious concern over the prolonged delay, Chairperson Senator Bushra Anjum Butt observed that HEC had shown negligence in resolving the matter for several years.

She further remarked that it would be unreasonable to expect individuals who had completed their studies many years ago to appear in an examination at this stage.

The Committee emphasized the need for an expeditious and fair resolution of the issue to safeguard the academic and professional interests of the affected students.

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) also briefed the Committee on its plagiarism policy. The Committee was informed that the permissible percentage of plagiarism varies from subject to subject; however, the maximum allowable limit is 19 percent.

HEC further informed the Committee that it uses Turnitin software to assess and detect plagiarism in academic research.

Upon the recommendations of Committee a pool of writers has been formed for the blind students to facilitate them during the examination in writing.

The Committee also discussed the registration criteria and infrastructure standards for private educational institutions.

Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan inquired about the prescribed building standards for schools and questioned whether every school was required to provide essential facilities such as playgrounds and libraries.

The Committee was informed that not all schools currently have playgrounds and laboratories.

Chairperson Senator Bushra Anjum Butt observed that many private schools were operating in residential houses and emphasized the need to review the existing registration criteria for private educational institutions.

She expressed concern that, despite charging substantial tuition fees, many private schools were failing to provide adequate educational and recreational facilities to their students.

During the briefing, the Committee was informed about the status of accommodating 10% poor students under the free education policy in private schools.

It was further informed that the Association of Private Schools had approached the High Court, which had granted interim relief by suspending the implementation of the decision.

Expressing dissatisfaction, the Chairperson observed that private schools were reluctant to accommodate underprivileged children despite their legal and social responsibility to do so.

She remarked that Pakistan has been grappling with the issue of out-of-school children for decades, yet many private schools were not complying with the government’s policy on providing free education to deserving students.

She emphasized that strict implementation of the policy was essential to ensure that every child has access to quality education.

The meeting was attended by Senators Syed Masroor Ahsan, Kamran Murtaza, Rahat Jamali and Khalida Ateeb.