Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, on Monday, urged the member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to move beyond declarations and translate their commitments into concrete action for women’s socio-economic empowerment, as Pakistan assumed the chairmanship of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women.

Addressing the opening session of the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, as the chief guest, Gilani said empowering women is both an Islamic obligation and a prerequisite for sustainable development.

He said Islam has guaranteed women the rights to education, property, inheritance, economic participation, and dignity more than 1,400 years ago, while the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) continued to provide a timeless framework for ensuring women’s meaningful participation in society.

Welcoming ministers, parliamentarians, and delegates from OIC member states, Gilani said women constituted nearly half of the population of OIC countries, and no nation could achieve inclusive growth while excluding half of its human capital from economic and political participation.

He paid tribute to the contributions of Muslim women in education, governance, science, diplomacy, business, and public service, and described Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto as the first woman Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Muslim world whose vision continued to inspire generations.

Highlighting Pakistan’s efforts, he referred to the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Waseela-e-Taleem, initiatives for women-led enterprises, financial inclusion, digital skills, and e-commerce.

He also recalled landmark legislation enacted during his tenure as prime minister, including laws against workplace harassment, acid crimes, and anti-women practices, and called on OIC member states to adopt measurable targets for girls’ education, women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and protection against gender-based violence.

Federal Minister for Law, Justice, and Human Rights, Azam Nazeer Tarar, after assuming the chairmanship of the conference, said Pakistan accepted the responsibility with humility and a firm commitment to serve all 57 OIC member states through partnership, inclusivity, and consensus.

Referring to the conference theme, “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward,” he said empowering women is not only a social imperative but also an economic necessity, a governance priority, and a cornerstone of sustainable development.

He said Pakistan would work closely with the OIC General Secretariat, the Women’s Development Organization (WDO), and member states to promote cooperation, exchange experiences, and transform shared aspirations into practical initiatives.

Tarar said Pakistan’s Constitution guaranteed equality and dignity for women, while the government is taking strong measures to strengthen women’s leadership, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, access to justice, and safer workplaces through legal and institutional reforms.

He also called for greater support for women affected by conflict, particularly in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Indian Illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and stressed that artificial intelligence and digital innovation should become tools of inclusion rather than exclusion.

Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs at the OIC, Ambassador Dr. Tarig Ali Bakheet, said the conference reflected the organization’s continued commitment to advancing women’s causes and sustaining efforts towards women’s empowerment.

He termed empowering women essential for the development, resilience, and prosperity of the Islamic world and expressed the OIC’s appreciation to Pakistan and Egypt for successfully hosting the ministerial conferences on women.

Executive Director of the Women’s Development Organization (WDO), Sarah Al Shoura, highlighted the organization’s efforts to strengthen cooperation among member states and promote policies aimed at expanding women’s participation in education, economic development, and leadership.

President of the Women’s Consultative Council of the 8th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, Ambassador Naela Gabr, highlighted the progress made since the previous ministerial conference and stressed the importance of sustaining momentum through stronger cooperation among OIC member states.

She called for greater investment in women’s education, economic empowerment, and leadership, saying the advancement of women was essential for inclusive development and long-term prosperity across the Islamic world.

President of Egypt’s National Council for Women, Amal Ammar, said the prosperity of nations begins with investment in people, particularly women, adding that women’s empowerment had become a strategic necessity for achieving sustainable development and stability. She said Egypt had made women’s empowerment a national priority through constitutional, legislative, and institutional reforms and the National Strategy for Egyptian Women 2030.

She highlighted Egypt’s flagship “Noura” programme for girls, the “Noor” programme for boys, the “Tahweesha” initiative for women’s financial inclusion, and the Gender Equality Seal awarded to 31 companies promoting gender-responsive workplaces.

She said women had made notable gains in leadership, with nearly 3,968 women serving as judges and prosecutors, and increased representation in parliament and senior public offices.

Amal Ammar stressed that women’s empowerment was rooted in Islamic values and called on OIC member states to deepen cooperation, exchange successful experiences, and ensure equal opportunities in education, employment, finance, technology, and leadership.

She also highlighted the plight of Palestinian women, encouraged member states yet to join the Women’s Development Organization to complete the accession process, and congratulated Pakistan on assuming the chairmanship of the conference.

Among those present at the opening session were Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Members of the National Assembly, Saba Sadiq and Wajiha Qamar, representatives of international organizations, diplomats, and delegates from OIC member states.

A documentary highlighting the contributions of women in various sectors was also screened during the opening session.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the right of pre-emption is a weak and fragile legal right, and its enforcement requires strict compliance with all mandatory requirements under the Punjab Pre-emption Act, 1991, including Talab-e-Muwathibat (immediate demand) and Talab-e-Ishhad (demand before witnesses).

A three-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan allowed an appeal in a dispute over 66 kanals and one marla of agricultural land in Jhelum, setting aside the June 13, 2019 judgment of the Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench.

In the written judgment authored by Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, the Court observed that the right of pre-emption essentially enables a claimant to substitute himself for the purchaser and, therefore, every statutory condition governing its exercise must be fulfilled strictly.

The Court held that the date, time and place of Talab-e-Muwathibat constitute the foundation of a pre-emption claim, as these details determine whether the right was exercised immediately upon receiving knowledge of the sale. It further ruled that unless the claimant proved the complete chain through which information about the sale was received, the claim could not succeed.

The judgment noted that the plaintiffs failed to establish the exact and reliable source from which they learned about the sale. Without proving the complete chain of communication, it was impossible to determine whether Talab-e-Muwathibat had been made promptly or after an unexplained delay.

The Supreme Court also found material contradictions in the testimony of the plaintiffs’ witnesses regarding the communication of the sale, the meeting where the demand was allegedly made, the persons present, and the performance of Talab-e-Muwathibat. It held that such inconsistencies could not be treated as minor because strict adherence to legal requirements was indispensable in pre-emption cases.

The Court further observed that the Lahore High Court had failed to properly examine these fundamental legal and evidentiary deficiencies while affirming the concurrent findings of the subordinate courts, resulting in an erroneous application of the law.

Holding that the plaintiffs had failed to prove valid compliance with the mandatory requirement of Talab-e-Muwathibat, the Supreme Court concluded that their claim for pre-emption was unsustainable. Consequently, the appeal was allowed and the Lahore High Court’s judgment was set aside.

Islamabad: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Monday called for collective efforts across the Muslim world to ensure women have equal access to education, economic opportunities, healthcare and leadership, saying women’s empowerment was the key to sustainable development and stronger societies.

Addressing the 9th Ministerial Conference on Women of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said, ‘If circumstances can empower one woman, opportunity can empower millions. Let us work together through the platform of OIC to ensure that every girl in the Muslim world has access to education. Every girl across the Muslim world has access to opportunity.”

“Our commitment to women’s empowerment is deeply rooted in our faith and values. Islam honours women with dignity, rights and respect. In empowering women, we are not departing from our traditions; we are returning to them,” she said

She said the OIC represented the collective aspirations, shared values and common future of Muslim nations, emphasizing that women must not merely benefit from development but actively shape it as leaders, entrepreneurs and decision-makers.

The chief minister said the story of women in the Muslim world had always been one of resilience, courage, perseverance and leadership, adding that empowerment was often forged through challenges rather than bestowed by others.

She said her own political journey had taught her that true empowerment was often shaped by challenging circumstances.

Recalling her experience of standing alongside former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif during periods of political adversity, she said those experiences had strengthened her resolve, taught her patience and deepened her understanding of the struggles faced by ordinary women.

CM paid tribute to Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz Sharif and Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, saying these women had demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership while paving the way for future generations.

She said Pakistan had achieved important milestones in women’s political representation by electing the Muslim world’s first woman prime minister, the country’s first woman speaker of the National Assembly and Punjab’s first woman chief minister, while the Lahore High Court was now headed by its first woman chief justice.

Maryam Nawaz said these achievements represented progress not only for individual women but also for millions of girls aspiring to leadership roles.

She said women’s empowerment should not remain a symbolic slogan but must translate into practical improvements in people’s lives.

“Women’s empowerment is the distance between rights written on paper and rights implemented on the ground,” she said, adding that governments must ensure policies reached the women for whom they were intended.

Highlighting the Punjab government’s initiatives, Maryam Nawaz said her administration had launched a wide range of programmes aimed at improving women’s economic empowerment, education, healthcare, housing, entrepreneurship and public safety.

She said 60 percent of the beneficiaries under the ‘Honhaar Scholarship Programme’ were female students, reflecting the government’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities for young women.

She said the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” housing programme was providing security and dignity to low-income families.

Recalling her meeting with the programme’s first beneficiary, a widow raising three daughters, she said the woman had struggled for years to pay rent and had even withdrawn her daughters from school because of financial hardship.

“Today, she has a home of her own and her daughters have returned to school. A house provides not only shelter but also security and hope for the future,” she said.

The chief minister said around 200,000 families had benefited from the housing initiative, enabling them to move from rented accommodation to permanent home ownership.

She said the “Apna Khet Apna Rozgar” initiative aimed to provide land ownership and sustainable livelihoods to women, particularly widows and landless families.

Highlighting the ‘Honhaar Scholarship Programme’, Maryam Nawaz shared the story of a female student who was forced to leave university after her family could only afford to educate her brother.

She said government financial support enabled the student to resume her education and pursue her dreams. “The scholarship is not merely financial assistance; it is permission to dream and an investment in future generations,” she remarked.

The chief minister said the Punjab government’s laptop distribution programme was equipping young women with digital tools to access education, knowledge and employment opportunities, while internship, tourism and IT skills programmes were helping graduates become financially independent.

Maryam Nawaz said women entrepreneurs were also benefiting from interest-free “Asaan Karobar Finance” loans, IT and freelancing training programmes, livestock distribution schemes and support for cottage industries and e-commerce platforms.

The chief minister said the government was extending financial assistance to women with disabilities through the ‘Himmat Card’ programme, enabling them to live with dignity and independence.

She said the ‘Dhee Rani Programme’ was supporting underprivileged families by assisting young women with marriage-related expenses, helping thousands of daughters begin a new chapter of their lives with dignity and confidence.

Maryam Nawaz said the Punjab government was also strengthening women’s participation in the justice sector by improving professional facilities for female legal practitioners and promoting their representation in leadership positions.

Highlighting healthcare initiatives, she said more than 1,000 field hospitals and mobile health units had been established to deliver medical services to remote communities, while expanded maternal healthcare programmes and over 60,000 female health inspectors were ensuring healthcare reached women and children at their doorsteps.

She said Punjab’s newly launched electric mass transit system included dedicated facilities for women, while the ‘Pink Taxi’ initiative was creating safe transportation and new employment opportunities for women.

The chief minister said Punjab had also prioritized women’s safety through the expansion of Safe City projects, Violence Against Women Centres, Women Protection Centres, virtual women police stations, mobile police stations, women’s safety applications and dedicated safety zones equipped with modern facilities.

She said the provincial government had introduced women-friendly transport initiatives, including dedicated spaces in public transport and the Pink Taxi project, aimed at creating employment opportunities and ensuring safe mobility for women.

Islamabad: The Punjab government has launched an ambitious drive to train around 90,000 students by 2029 under the Improving Workforce Readiness in Punjab Project, a six year initiative that seeks to align technical education with labour market demand by upgrading training institutions, introducing industry driven courses and producing a skilled workforce for eight priority sectors of the provincial economy.

Official documents available with Wealth Pakistan reveal that the project, which commenced in 2023 and would continue through 2029, was designed to bridge the long standing disconnect between technical and vocational education and the evolving needs of industry through training programmes developed on the basis of a comprehensive skills mapping study.

A major component of the initiative is the transformation of 19 technical and vocational institutes into Centres of Excellence, including 16 institutes operated by the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) and three managed by the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC).

The upgraded institutes would deliver specialised, market oriented training in eight high growth sectors comprising automotive, information and communication technology, tourism, food processing, textile, construction, healthcare and light engineering, all identified as critical drivers of Punjab’s economic expansion and employment generation.

The project aimed to equip nearly 90,000 students with practical, industry relevant skills, replacing conventional classroom based instruction with competency based training that responds directly to employers’ requirements and enhances graduates’ prospects for sustainable employment.

Alongside institutional reforms, the initiative would modernise the ‘Technical and Vocational Education and Training’ management system and strengthen the Labour Market Information System to improve workforce planning, generate reliable labour market data and support evidence based policymaking.

The enhanced information system would help policymakers, training providers and industry leaders identify existing and emerging skills shortages, enabling technical institutes to regularly update curricula and tailor training programmes to the changing demands of the labour market.

Punjab’s rapidly expanding industrial and services sectors continue to require a steady pipeline of skilled workers, particularly in information technology, construction, textile, healthcare, manufacturing and food processing. Officials believe the workforce readiness project will help close critical skills gaps, improve youth employability, strengthen technical education and enhance the province’s long term economic competitiveness through a more productive and future ready workforce.

Islamabad: Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), Sheikh Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House here on Monday and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Members of the National Assembly Ms. Farah Naz Akbar, Ms. Zeb Jaffar and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch were also present.

The Secretary General was accompanied by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Al Malky.

The Prime Minister warmly welcomed Dr. Al-Issa and thanked him for his participation in the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, held in Islamabad on 12-13 July.

The Prime Minister appreciated the invaluable role of the Muslim World League in promoting the true and moderate image of Islam, fostering unity among the Ummah, and advancing the message of tolerance, fraternity, and interfaith harmony across the world. In this regard, he commended the Secretary General’s personal leadership in steering the League’s global outreach and reaffirmed Pakistan’s continued support for its initiatives.

The Prime Minister underscored the critical importance of the MWL’s advocacy on religious dialogue to deal with the issues confronting the Muslim world today, including the ongoing regional situation vis a vis Iran and the brotherly Gulf states, the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, and other challenges facing Muslim communities around the globe.

He recalled Dr. Al-Issa’s earlier visits to Pakistan and his numerous contributions, including the hosting of the International Summit on Girls’ Education held in Islamabad, and expressed satisfaction over the continued collaboration between Pakistan and the MWL on education, interfaith dialogue, and countering extremism and Islamophobia.

The Prime Minister conveyed his respectful regards to The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his warm good wishes for His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Dr. Al-Issa thanked the Prime Minister for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation and lauded Pakistan’s leadership role within the Muslim world. He reaffirmed the Muslim World League’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Pakistan across religious, educational, and humanitarian domains.

While lauding the Prime Minister for his leading role in the recent regional peace efforts, Dr. Al-Issa also expressed his deep appreciation for the role played by Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of the Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir for their untiring efforts and invaluable contribution in the signing of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding.

The Prime Minister thanked the Secretary General for his visit and agreed to continue close coordination on shared priorities, including the early completion of ongoing joint projects and initiatives between Pakistan and the Muslim World League.

Islamabad: National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), on the directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Monday reviewed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s preparedness for the ongoing Monsoon 2026 during a high level virtual meeting, assessing contingency plans, resource deployment, emergency coordination and district level response measures to strengthen readiness against floods, landslides, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) and other weather related emergencies.

The meeting was convened via video link by Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik and attended by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Aqibullah Khan, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, NDMA Chairman Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, Director General PDMA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, provincial administrative secretaries, commissioners, deputy commissioners and representatives of relevant departments.

Officials reviewed district wise preparedness across vulnerable areas, with detailed discussions on contingency planning, emergency resource deployment, institutional coordination and response mechanisms to tackle potential monsoon related disasters across the province.

Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa presented a comprehensive briefing on preparedness measures, highlighting the readiness of district administrations, rescue services, emergency communication systems, relief stockpiles and evacuation plans for high risk locations.

Special focus remained on districts vulnerable to flash floods, riverine flooding, urban flooding, landslides, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods and other hydro meteorological hazards that typically intensify during the monsoon season.

Addressing the meeting, Federal Minister Musadik Malik appreciated the preparedness measures undertaken by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and directed all concerned authorities to remain on high alert in view of evolving weather conditions.

He stressed that proactive planning, swift emergency response, close coordination among institutions and effective public awareness were essential to reducing the impact of monsoon related disasters and safeguarding lives and property.

The meeting concluded with directives to hold coordination meetings at the district and Union Council levels to further assess preparedness, strengthen local coordination mechanisms and ensure a rapid and effective response to any emergency during Monsoon 2026.