Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister (DPM/FM), Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Monday met Candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the central role of the UN in international affairs.

During the interaction, the deputy prime minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

He underscored the need to ensure respect for international law and treaties, and to faithfully implement UN Security Council resolutions, especially in the context of the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the situation in Palestine. The DPM/FM also called for necessary steps to adapt the UN to emerging global challenges, as well as to address the needs of the developing countries.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, on Monday, strongly condemned a terrorist attack targeting police personnel in District Tank, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The president expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the martyrdom of police personnel and prayed for the high ranks of Shuhada in Jannah, President Secretariat Media Wing said in a press release.

The president and the prime minister also expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed for them to bear the losses with fortitude. The president said the police force and law enforcement agencies were offering unforgettable sacrifices for securing peace in the country and the entire nation saluted them for their unprecedented sacrifices.

He also reaffirmed that nefarious designs of the terrorists elements, working under the foreign patronage, would be foiled at all costs.

The prime minister while strongly condemning the bomb blast targeting a police van on Tank-Waziristan road, expressed his deep grief over the shahadat of an Assistant Sub-Inspector and two other police personnel. He also lauded the security forces for eliminating several other terrorists in Balochistan province under Operation Shaban, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.

The prime minister reiterated that anti-terror operations in the country would continue till complete eradication of terrorist groups. The nation would always remember the sacrifices given by police and the security forces, he said, expressing the resolve that those shedding blood of innocent citizens would be held accountable.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s warm hospitality, efficient organization and commitment to advancing women’s empowerment drew widespread appreciation from delegates attended the 9th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Conference on Women describing the gathering as an important platform for strengthening cooperation and shaping a collective roadmap for the socio-economic and political empowerment of women.

Held here in the federal capital, the two-day ministerial conference brought together ministers, senior officials and representatives from OIC representatives from across the Muslim world, international organizations and partner institutions to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities facing women in the Islamic world and explore ways to strengthen collaboration through shared policies and initiatives.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Syrian Minister for Social Affairs and Labour Hind Kabawat described her visit to Pakistan as both memorable and symbolic, saying Syria’s participation marked the return of Syrian women to an international conference after many years.

She praised Pakistan’s warm hospitality and the excellent arrangements made for the event, saying delegates were made to feel at home from the moment they arrived. “Pakistan made us feel at home from the very first moment,” she remarked.

Kabawat said digital transformation and women’s affairs were among the key priorities of her ministry and expressed confidence that the conference would generate fresh ideas, strengthen partnerships among OIC member states and lead to practical initiatives benefiting women across the Islamic world.

Echoing similar sentiments, an OIC delegate said Pakistani women welcomed the visiting delegations not merely as guests but as sisters and members of one family, reflecting the country’s generosity, respect and spirit of Islamic brotherhood.

Representative of the Maldives delegation, Mariyam Raya Ahmed described the conference as an important opportunity to reinforce cooperation among Islamic countries on women’s development and gender equality.

She commended Pakistan for its excellent hospitality and arrangements and appreciated its role in bringing together OIC member states, particularly from the Asian region. She expressed optimism that the conference would deliver meaningful outcomes and further strengthen regional cooperation in the years ahead.

Secretary-General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Family Affairs Council, Dr. Maimouna Al Khalil said the conference reflected the OIC’s firm commitment to placing women’s issues at the highest policy level and would help shape the organization’s agenda on women’s empowerment in the coming years.

Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s progress in advancing women’s economic and social participation, she said OIC member states had achieved notable progress but needed to intensify efforts to further strengthen women’s role in society and national development. She also praised Pakistan’s hospitality and the meticulous arrangements for the conference and expressed hope that the deliberations would culminate in meaningful initiatives and a strong declaration to guide future action.

Director Planning and International Cooperation at the International Islamic Fiqh Academy (OIC), Dr. Alhagi Manta Drammeh termed the conference a timely initiative to promote women’s empowerment while addressing misconceptions regarding the role of women in Islam. He emphasized that men and women have complementary responsibilities in building prosperous societies and appreciated Pakistan’s successful hosting of the conference, describing it as an opportunity to project the true Islamic perspective on women’s rights and contributions.

Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare of The Gambia, Isatou Jobe, said the conference highlighted Pakistan’s leadership role within the Muslim world and its continued commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. She said Pakistan’s initiatives in support of women were widely appreciated across OIC member states and expressed pleasure at participating in a country that consistently championed issues of importance to the Islamic world.

Representing Nigeria, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, said the conference came at a significant time as Nigeria continued to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening women’s socio-economic empowerment. She underlined the importance of placing women at the centre of national development through legal reforms, economic opportunities and social protection measures, and commended Pakistan’s outstanding hospitality.

She also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working closely with fellow OIC member states to advance women’s economic, political and social participation through collective action and shared experiences.

Throughout the interactions, delegates repeatedly acknowledged Pakistan’s role in providing a welcoming environment that encouraged open dialogue and strengthened bonds among participating countries. Many expressed confidence that the conference would contribute to deeper cooperation and practical policy initiatives to improve the lives of women across the Muslim world.

The 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women was held under the theme “Socio-Economic and Political Empowerment of Women in the OIC Countries: Challenges and Way Forward.” The conference sought to promote cooperation among OIC member states in expanding women’s participation in economic, social and political life while exchanging successful national experiences and identifying practical strategies to overcome shared challenges.

The conference was attended by Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani as the chief guest, Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar, who assumed the chairmanship of the conference, Assistant Secretary General for Humanitarian, Cultural and Social Affairs of the OIC Ambassador Dr. Tarig Ali Bakheet, Executive Director of the Women’s Development Organization Sarah Al Shoura, President of Egypt’s National Council for Women Amal Ammar, President of the Women’s Consultative Council of the 8th OIC Ministerial Conference Ambassador Naela Gabr, 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 across the Muslim world.

Islamabad: Artificial intelligence (AI) should be integrated into institutional systems through ethical governance rather than being viewed merely as an individual productivity tool, said speakers at the launch of a series of books on AI and Technology Governance.

The books-launch event organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) was held here on Monday.

The books, titled as: ‘Artificial Intelligence Ethics: A Maturity Assessment Framework’, ‘Artificial Intelligence Implementation Guide: Transforming to AI Using AI4mation’, and ‘Artificial Intelligence and the University in the Global South: Transforming to Meet the Challenge’ were authored by Azhar Zia-ur-Rehman.

Presenting his work, Azhar Zia ur Rehman said he had first introduced the concept of technology governance. He further said the European Union’s AI Act underscored the growing importance of ethics in AI because of the technology’s transformative nature. His latest work, he explained, consolidates global knowledge on AI governance and proposes a comprehensive framework consisting of 1,941 measurable governance activities.

He said organizations could translate these activities into key performance indicators and evaluate their institutional maturity using internationally recognized ISO 33001 and ISO 33002 standards. By assigning maturity scores to each activity, organizations could systematically assess and strengthen their AI governance capabilities.

His latest book outlines a detailed 16-step methodology for institutionalizing AI by reviewing organizational processes, identifying automation opportunities, assessing AI use cases and evaluating their benefits and risks. He stressed that successful AI institutionalization begins with understanding existing organizational processes before introducing automation and AI applications.

Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri, SDPI Executive Director, said Azhar Zia ur Rehman is an internationally recognized researcher, consultant and expert on management systems, who had emerged as an authority on AI governance. He said the author had pioneered three high-quality books on the subject and had been assisting governments and organizations worldwide in preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and AI adoption.

Dr Suleri emphasized the responsible use of AI within think tanks and research organizations. He underlined that evidence-based policy institutions must lead by example in adopting ethical AI practices while safeguarding research integrity.

Dr. Sajid Amin Javed, SDPI Deputy Executive Director (Research), said AI was rapidly becoming the fifth and perhaps the most important pillar influencing productivity, economic policy and development outcomes. He noted that discussions in Pakistan largely revolved around how individuals use AI, whereas the more important question was whether organizations and institutions were prepared to integrate AI into their existing systems.

He stressed that the real potential of AI would be realized only when governments, industries and businesses developed institutional capacity to incorporate AI into their operations. Ethical and responsible use of AI, he said, would determine whether technology contributed positively to governance and development.

Dr. Javed added that universities and young professionals urgently needed guidance on responsible AI use, noting that educational institutions across the world were still struggling to define acceptable AI practices. He cited examples of universities discouraging AI-generated work while simultaneously recognizing that AI had become an unavoidable reality requiring clear ethical frameworks.

Dr Zafar Ullah Koreshi, Chief Executive and Director of Solved Engineering Technologies Limited, said AI represented an entirely new experience for older generations while today’s youths had grown up alongside digital technologies. Reflecting on his own career, he recalled introducing Mechatronics Engineering at Air University, whose graduates were now serving across Pakistan.

Dr. Koreshi said the author’s work appropriately began with the historical evolution of universities, including ancient learning centres such as Taxila, before explaining industrial revolutions and AI. He argued that despite rapid technological advances, human intelligence remained superior to AI.

He maintained that the principal challenge facing universities was no longer whether AI should be used, but how it should be governed in an era where information and AI-generated outputs were abundant. He praised the book’s discussion on university governance, pedagogy and institutional management in the AI era.

Dr. Koreshi warned that AI effectiveness depended heavily on sound data management and governance systems. He criticized the commercialization of higher education, saying excessive focus on profits in some private universities had compromised educational quality and values.

He further cautioned against the unchecked replacement of human decision-making with machines, highlighting risks including reinforcement of societal biases, weakening of critical thinking, creation of misleading knowledge and growing environmental pressures from energy- and water-intensive AI data centres.

Zainab Naeem, Head of Ecological Sustainability and Circular Economy at SDPI, said AI has significantly improved organizational efficiency and commended the author’s work in codifying AI ethics into a practical governance framework.

While emphasizing that AI must remain human-led, she noted that technological innovation should also promote environmental sustainability through water- and energy-efficient mechanisms as AI systems continue to expand.

Later, during the interactive session, Azhar Zia ur Rehman said AI represented a new paradigm that would fundamentally reshape expectations of students, universities, governments and industries alike. All these stakeholders, he argued, would need to redefine their roles in preparing graduates for the AI age.

He emphasized that AI should be viewed as a tool similar to earlier technological innovations such as electric typewriters and computers, rather than as a replacement for human judgment. Human oversight, he said, must remain integral to every critical AI-assisted decision.

Islamabad: Chairman Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, here on Monday attended a farewell luncheon hosted by the Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, in honour of the Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to Pakistan, Irena Gancheva.

On the occasion, Chairman Senate extended his best wishes to Ambassador Gancheva and appreciated her valuable role in strengthening Pakistan-Bulgaria relations.

He commended her efforts to enhance diplomatic, parliamentary, economic, trade, cultural, and people-to-people ties during her tenure and said her services would be remembered with appreciation.

The Chairman Senate also conveyed his good wishes to the leadership and people of Bulgaria, expressing confidence that the friendly bilateral relations between the two countries would continue to grow.

The luncheon was also attended by State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Muhammad Aoun Chaudhry, MNA Syed Abdul Qadir Gilani, ambassadors of various countries, and other distinguished guests.

Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi also discussed the country’s political and economic situation, public welfare, Centre-province cooperation, and other matters of national importance.

Islamabad: Chairperson Peace and Culture Organisation and wife of jailed Kashmiri freedom fighter Yasin Malik,Mushaal Hussein Mullick on Sunday paid tribute to the martyrs of July 13, 1931, saying their sacrifices continue to inspire the struggle for the people of Jammu and Kashmir’s right to self determination.

On the eve of Kashmir Martyrs Day, she urged the United Nations, the international community and global human rights organisations to step up efforts for the protection of Kashmiris’ rights and support a peaceful resolution of the longstanding dispute in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.

Speaking in a statement, the former special assistant to the prime minister on human rights and women empowerment said July 13 remains a defining chapter in Kashmir’s history, representing courage, faith and sacrifice.

She recalled that 22 unarmed Kashmiris were killed outside Srinagar Central Jail on July 13, 1931, after Dogra forces opened fire while they were completing the call to prayer.

She said their sacrifice ignited a movement that continues to inspire generations of Kashmiris.

MS Malik said the spirit of the martyrs lives on in every Kashmiri striving peacefully for justice, dignity and the internationally recognised right to self determination.

She said decades of repression, arbitrary detentions, restrictions on civil liberties and the continued imprisonment of Kashmiri political leaders had failed to weaken the resolve of the Kashmiri people.

Mushaal said the sacrifices made from the Dogra era to the present day could never be erased from history. She maintained that lasting peace in South Asia depended on a just and peaceful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

Calling for greater international engagement, she urged the United Nations, the international community and global human rights organisations to ensure accountability for alleged human rights violations and support meaningful efforts aimed at resolving the dispute peacefully.

Reaffirming her commitment, Mushaal said the sacrifices of the July 13 martyrs would never be forgotten and pledged to continue raising the voice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful, democratic, legal and diplomatic means until they are able to exercise their right to self determination.