Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister (DPM/FM), Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Friday appreciated the relevant officials for their hard work in managing the preparations for hosting the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, and directed them to ensure enjoyable stay and the best of Pakistani hospitality to the foreign delegations arriving from around the world to attend this important event.

The deputy prime minister chaired the 8th meeting of the High-Level Committee overseeing preparations for the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, to be held in Islamabad on 12-13 July 2026, a DPM’s Office news release said.

The Committee reviewed the final preparations for the Conference. The Secretary, Human Rights, gave a detailed briefing on the arrangements for the conference programme, delegate facilitation, protocol, security, logistics, media arrangements, and inter-ministerial coordination, to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of the Conference.

The meeting was attended by the Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, the Federal Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Human Rights, and other senior officials from relevant ministries.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court has ruled that heads of educational institutions are legally bound to provide a harassment-free working environment for female teachers and must take immediate and effective action on complaints of workplace harassment, warning that failure to do so may render them accountable for administrative negligence.

According to the detailed judgment, a two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Musarrat Hilali allowed the appeals filed by the Punjab government and Shazia Iqbal, setting aside the Punjab Service Tribunal’s order that had reduced the penalty of forfeiture of five years’ past service to one year. The Court restored the original departmental punishment of forfeiture of five years’ past service.

The Court observed that a departmental inquiry had established that Shazia Iqbal, Headmistress of the Government Special Education Centre in Faisalabad, failed to take effective action despite receiving complaints that a speech therapist posted at the institution had been harassing female teachers. She was found to have neglected her supervisory and administrative responsibilities.

The inquiry also found that she had unlawfully allowed the employee to reside on the institution’s premises, causing financial loss to the public exchequer.

The Supreme Court held that the departmental inquiry had been conducted in accordance with the law. Female teachers testified before the inquiry, the accused was given full opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses, and their testimony remained unrebutted. The Court observed that extending undue leniency in such serious misconduct cases would be inconsistent with the interests of justice.

The judgment stated that educational institutions are not merely places of learning but are also obligated to provide a safe and dignified environment for female employees and all staff members. It emphasized that when the head of an institution remains silent in the face of harassment complaints, it undermines victims’ confidence and creates an unsafe educational environment.

The Court further stressed that every educational institution should have a clear anti-harassment policy, an effective complaint mechanism, impartial inquiry committees, and safeguards to protect complainants against retaliation.

Referring to the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, the International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 190, and international judicial precedents, the Supreme Court held that all institutions have a responsibility to adopt and enforce a zero-tolerance policy against workplace harassment.

Islamabad: The second edition of the Pakistan International Food and Restaurant Awards 2026 was held in Islamabad on Friday to recognize outstanding contributions to Pakistan’s food, restaurant, hospitality and tourism industries, bringing together government representatives, diplomats, parliamentarians, business leaders and stakeholders from across the country.

The event was organized by Brain Designer Pakistan in collaboration with the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) under the theme “Celebration of Marqa-e-Haq and Marqa Muhasiat” and “Celebrating Excellence in Food, Hospitality and Tourism.”

Speaking on the occasion, CEO of Brain Designer Pakistan and Focal Person to the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme on Tourism and Hospitality Muhammad Rauf Raja said the awards aimed to recognize excellence, innovation, quality and service in the food and hospitality sectors while encouraging young entrepreneurs, supporting the hospitality industry and promoting Pakistan as a global destination for tourism, investment, culture and hospitality.

Federal Minister for Tribal Affairs Mubarak Zeb Khan, the chief guest, appreciated the organizers for promoting Pakistan’s hospitality and tourism sectors. He stressed the importance of developing tourism, supporting local businesses, preserving cultural heritage and creating employment opportunities through the hospitality industry.

Chairman of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab Ur Rehman Rana, who attended the ceremony as guest of honour, highlighted Pakistan’s tourism potential and reaffirmed PTDC’s commitment to working with public and private sector partners to promote sustainable tourism, culinary tourism and international cooperation.

Chairman Board of Governors, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), Syed Qamar Raza Shah said overseas Pakistanis

played an important role in promoting Pakistan’s positive image worldwide, adding that Pakistani cuisine and hospitality served as strong ambassadors of the country’s culture. He called for stronger engagement between overseas Pakistanis and the hospitality sector.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture, Farah Naz Akbar said Pakistan’s rich culinary traditions and cultural heritage were among the country’s greatest strengths.

She appreciated initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting Pakistan’s diverse food culture while encouraging tourism, cultural exchange and youth participation.

During the ceremony, awards were presented to leading restaurants, hotels, caf©s, food brands, chefs, hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, tourism organizations and industry leaders in recognition of their contributions to raising standards in Pakistan’s food and hospitality sectors.

The organizers thanked government institutions, strategic partners, sponsors, diplomats, hospitality organizations, business leaders, media organizations and participants for contributing to the success of the event and reaffirmed their commitment to promoting tourism, cultural heritage, entrepreneurship, international partnerships, culinary excellence and sustainable economic growth in Pakistan.

Islamabad: Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, met with Bangladesh’s Interior Minister, Salahuddin Ahmed in New York to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional developments.

During the meeting, both ministers agreed to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including training and exchange programmes for police officers.

They also discussed strengthening collaboration to combat cybercrime and online fraud.

The two sides exchanged views on the Iran-US conflict and the current situation in the Middle East.

According to the statement, the Bangladeshi Interior Minister appreciated Pakistan’s role in promoting regional and international peace.

Speaking after the meeting, Mohsin Naqvi said Pakistan should make use of new opportunities to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation. He also stated that, in his view, the Prime Minister and the Field Marshal had played an important role in efforts to promote peace.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari have urged all stakeholders, government institutions, parliamentarians, academia, civil society organisations, development partners, religious leaders, the media and communities to work together in promoting the health, wellbeing and empowerment of the masses.

In his message on the World Population Day, observed globally under the theme ‘Realising the Hopes and Aspirations of Young People – Today and for the Future,’ the president highlighted that by placing women, children and young people at the centre of the national development efforts, the country could create a future that is equitable, inclusive and sustainable.

President Zardari joined the international community in reflecting on evolving population trends and reaffirming the nation’s collective commitment to building a society where every citizen can live with dignity, health and opportunity.

“Pakistan is blessed with a young and vibrant population. More than sixty-five per cent of our citizens are under the age of thirty, presenting a unique opportunity for national progress. If provided with quality education, healthcare, skills and employment opportunities, our youth can become a powerful demographic dividend, driving economic growth, innovation and social development. Investing in young people today is an investment in Pakistan’s future,” he said.

He underscored that the nation must also recognise the critical importance of improving the health and wellbeing of women and children. “Maternal health, child survival, nutrition, education and access to essential healthcare services remain fundamental pillars of sustainable development,” he said, adding that a society could not prosper when mothers face preventable risks during pregnancy and childbirth, when children suffer from malnutrition or when girls were denied opportunities to learn and thrive.

The president also recalled the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, who championed womens’ rights, dignity and empowerment. She emphasised the vital role of womens’ empowerment, education and reproductive health in national development, and her legacy continues to inspire these efforts today, he said.

The president added that population and development are deeply interconnected as progress in education, healthcare, gender equality, poverty reduction and economic opportunity strengthens families and communities, contributing to a more prosperous and resilient society.

“Ensuring that every woman has access to quality healthcare and that every child receives the care, nutrition and education necessary to reach their full potential is both a moral responsibility and a national imperative. Let us renew our commitment to building a Pakistan where every person can realise their hopes and aspirations. Together, we can transform our demographic strengths into lasting national prosperity and human development,” the president concluded.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday emphasized the importance of ensuring balanced progress across the United Nations’ three core pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights.

During a meeting with Rebeca Grynspan, a candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, at the Prime Minister’s House, he stressed the need to establish effective mechanisms for the faithful implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and to uphold international law and treaties in order to promote global peace, security, and prosperity.

The prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to multilateralism and reiterated the country’s unwavering resolve to uphold the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter.

He particularly emphasized the need to accelerate the implementation of the global development agenda and strengthen international cooperation to address the pressing challenges facing developing countries.

Rebeca Grynspan appreciated Pakistan’s longstanding and valuable contributions to the United Nations and commended the country’s constructive role in recent regional peace efforts.