Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), in collaboration with its technology partner KHASTECH Solutions Friday launched KALAAM, an indigenous Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) virtual meetings platform designed to provide secure, scalable, economical and locally optimized digital communication services.

The platform was launched following the signing of an agreement between COMSATS Executive Director Ambassador Dr. Mohammad Nafees Zakaria and Chief Executive Officer of KHASTECH Solutions Brig. Dr. M. Ashraf at the COMSATS Secretariat.

The agreement signing ceremony was witnessed by senior officials from the COMSATS Secretariat, KHASTECH Solutions and COMSATS Internet Services (CIS).

The participants said KALAAM had been developed as an enterprise-grade virtual meetings solution with a strong emphasis on data sovereignty, advanced security and high performance, making it an ideal choice for government institutions, financial organizations, the education sector and corporate environments.

They said one of the key distinguishing features of KALAAM was its adoption of locally hosted infrastructure, ensuring that organizational data remained within the country.

This approach enhances regulatory compliance, strengthens data protection and supports national digital security objectives.

By keeping all data within the country, the platform provides complete control, compliance readiness and enhanced protection for sensitive communications, making it particularly suitable for government entities, banks and other critical organizations where data security is of paramount importance.

The platform incorporates end-to-end encryption and secure authentication protocols, enabling organizations to maintain strict governance, oversight and confidentiality of communications.

KALAAM offers a comprehensive range of advanced collaboration features, including high-definition video conferencing, screen sharing, interactive whiteboards, session recording and virtual classroom tools.

It also supports multiple concurrent meeting rooms, enabling organizations to efficiently conduct parallel meetings, training sessions, webinars and large-scale online events under a single account.

Designed specifically to adapt to the country’s network conditions, the platform delivers stable performance even in low-bandwidth environments, helping organizations maintain seamless communication across diverse geographic regions without compromising quality or reliability.

To meet varying enterprise requirements, KALAAM offers flexible deployment options, including cloud, private cloud and on-premise installations, allowing organizations to align the solution with their operational, infrastructure and security requirements. In addition, a dedicated local technical team will provide rapid support, deployment assistance and customization services for institutional clients.

According to COMSATS, KALAAM has been purpose-built to serve government departments and regulatory bodies, banks and financial institutions, universities and educational organizations, as well as corporate and enterprise sectors requiring secure and reliable virtual collaboration.

With the launch of KALAAM, COMSATS said it had reinforced its commitment to strengthening the country’s digital ecosystem by delivering a platform where organizational data remains within the country.

The initiative aims to support technological independence, improve cybersecurity resilience and provide institutions with a

trusted indigenous alternative for secure virtual meetings and digital collaboration.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday forecast rain-windstorms and thundershowers in the upper parts of the country during the weekend as moist currents from the Arabian Sea and a westerly wave are expected to influence weather conditions from Saturday.

According to the PMD, rain-windstorms and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are likely in Kashmir from the night of July 10 to July 13 with occasional gaps. Similar weather is expected in most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on July 11 and 12, while scattered rain accompanied by windstorms and thundershowers is forecast for Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several districts of Punjab on July 11 and 12.

The Met Office said rain-windstorms and thunderstorms are also expected in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan from the evening of July 11 to July 13, while isolated rain-windstorms are likely in northern and northeastern districts of Balochistan on July 11 and 12.

In Sindh, mainly hot and very humid weather will prevail, although isolated rain-windstorms and thundershowers are expected in Tharparkar, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Larkana, Dadu and Jacobabad on July 12 and 13.

The PMD warned that windstorms and lightning could damage vulnerable structures, including solar panels, electricity poles and billboards, during the forecast period.

It said landslides may occur in vulnerable areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir on July 11 and 12, while water levels are likely to rise in local streams and nullahs in these regions as well as in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan.

The department also cautioned that heavy rainfall could trigger localized urban flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad on July 11 and 12.

The PMD advised tourists and travellers to avoid unnecessary journeys during the forecast period and urged farmers to plan agricultural activities according to the weather conditions while taking necessary care of their livestock.

It added that the prevailing hot and humid conditions are expected to ease during the forecast period and advised all concerned authorities to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures to avoid any untoward situation.

Islamabad: Minister (Trade and Investment) at the Embassy of Pakistan in Riyadh, Dr. Shagufta Zareen, on Friday said the Pakistan Mango Festival in Jeddah and Al Khobar would help promote Pakistani mangoes, strengthen their market presence and introduce the country’s premium fruit to new consumers across Saudi Arabia.

While speaking exclusively to PTV News, Minister Dr. Shagufta Zareen, appreciated the efforts of both governments for organizing the first-ever Pakistan Mango Festival in Saudi Arabia, adding, landmark event represents a significant achievement in enhancing the visibility of Pakistani mangoes and creating fresh opportunities for their growth in the Saudi marketplace.

She noted that visitors and consumers appreciated the rich flavor of Pakistani mangoes, describing the positive response as a reflection of Pakistan’s strong agricultural reputation, adding, promoting the country’s signature fruit would further enhance trade ties and strengthen Pakistan’s presence in international markets.

Dr. Shagufta Zareen highlighted that Pakistan holds a prominent position among the world’s major mango producers, offering a diverse range of high-quality varieties.

She emphasized that Saudi Arabia is a key destination for Pakistan’s fresh fruit exports, especially mangoes, as the two countries enjoy strong trade links and growing consumer interest in Pakistani agricultural products.

Minister said increasing access to the Saudi market would further benefit farmers, exporters and businesses associated with the horticulture sector.

The minister stated that the mango festival is part of Pakistan’s wider economic outreach efforts aimed at promoting agricultural exports, connecting local producers with international buyers and exploring new commercial avenues. The initiative reflects the commitment of both countries to deepen economic cooperation and enhance trade relations.

She added that such promotional events provide a valuable platform to showcase Pakistan’s agricultural excellence, build stronger partnerships with Saudi importers and retailers and create long-term prospects for expanding Pakistan’s share in global fruit markets.

She concluded that Pakistan values its historic relationship with Saudi Arabia and continues to prioritize initiatives aimed at strengthening commerce, investment and people-to-people connections between the two countries.

Islamabad: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on Friday approved financing of $375.9 million for Pakistan’s Grid Stability Enhancement Project, the first phase of a 10-year programme aimed at modernizing the country’s electricity transmission network, reducing power outages and accelerating clean energy integration.

The project would be implemented under the Boosting Energy Security through Transmission in Pakistan (BEST-PAK) Multiphase Programmatic Approach and is designed to strengthen the national power transmission system while supporting Pakistan’s transition to a more reliable, efficient and sustainable electricity sector, a news release said.

World Bank Country Director for Pakistan Bolormaa Amgaabazar said Pakistan’s energy challenges were closely linked to its broader economic stability, adding that investment in advanced transmission technologies would help reduce electricity costs, improve grid reliability and enable greater integration of renewable energy.

She said the project would lay the foundation for a more resilient power sector that better serves households, businesses and industries while supporting the country’s economic growth.

Pakistan’s transmission network has long faced grid instability and bottlenecks that have constrained reliable electricity supply and limited the utilization of renewable energy resources, resulting in frequent outages, higher costs and reduced economic productivity.

Under the project, advanced grid-stabilizing equipment, including Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs), will be installed at three major 500-kilovolt substations, while fixed reactors and capacitor banks will be deployed across 26 substations to improve electricity flow and system stability.

The upgrades are expected to enable the transmission of 640 megawatts of currently curtailed wind power, allowing the full utilization of 1,840 MW of wind generation capacity in southern Pakistan.

The project would also facilitate the integration of about 491 MW of planned private sector-led renewable energy projects.

According to the World Bank, these improvements would contribute to Pakistan’s target of achieving a 60 percent share of renewable energy in its electricity mix by 2030 under its Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement.

Over its 25-year operational life, the project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 832,500 tonnes annually, amounting to more than 20.8 million tonnes cumulatively.

World Bank Lead Energy Specialist Waleed Saleh Alsuraih said a modern and reliable transmission network was essential for Pakistan’s energy future, adding that the project would pave the way for large-scale clean energy deployment, improved energy security and a commercially oriented transmission sector while creating conditions for greater private investment.

The initiative also supports the government’s ongoing reforms in the transmission sector by assisting the restructuring of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) into specialized successor entities to strengthen governance, accountability, operational efficiency and long-term financial sustainability.

Recognizing Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-related risks, including floods and extreme heat, the project incorporates climate-resilient infrastructure standards.

New installations would be built on elevated platforms to reduce flood risks, while key equipment will be designed to operate at temperatures of up to 55 degrees Celsius, ensuring reliable performance during heatwaves and monsoon seasons.

Islamabad: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI)-based weekly inflation decreased by 0.45 percent during the week ended on July 9, 2026, for the combined consumption group, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported Friday.

According to PBS data, the SPI for the week under review fell to 352.66 points from 354.24 points recorded in the previous week. On a year-on-year basis, the SPI increased by 11.94 percent.

The weekly SPI, with base year 2015-16=100, covers 17 urban centres and 51 essential items for all expenditure groups.

The SPI for the lowest consumption group (up to Rs 17,732) declined by 0.36 percent to 342.98 points from 344.22 points.

Likewise, the SPI for consumption groups of Rs 17,733-22,888, Rs 22,889-29,517 and Rs 29,518-44,175 and above Rs 44,175 decreased by 0.33 percent, 0.32 percent, 0.33 percent and 0.55 respectively.

During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 22 items (43.14 percent) increased, eight items (15.69 percent) decreased, while 21 items (41.17 percent) remained unchanged.

On a week-on-week basis, the prices of tomatoes witnessed the sharpest decline of 23.30 percent, followed by LPG 15.12 percent, pulse moong 2.15 percent, petrol 0.69 percent, diesel 0.63 percent, pulse masoor 0.52 percent, sugar 0.07 percent and mustard oil 0.06 percent.

On the other hand, prices of potatoes increased by 3.94 percent, followed by chicken 3.70 percent, onions 3.54 percent, wheat flour 1.61 percent, eggs 0.81 percent, beef 0.59 percent, cooked daal 0.58 percent, fresh milk 0.50 percent and washing soap 0.44 percent.

On a year-on-year basis, prices of potatoes declined by 35.89 percent, followed by pulse gram 22.23 percent, chicken 21.32 percent, sugar 20.98 percent, salt powder 14.09 percent, pulse masoor 12.93 percent, eggs 9.23 percent and pulse moong 7.70 percent over the corresponding week of last year.

Major annual increases were recorded in the prices of tomatoes by 129.01 percent, followed by onions 76.34 percent, wheat flour 71.22 percent, electricity charges for Q1 49.14 percent, gas charges for Q1 29.85 percent, LPG 25.51 percent, gents sponge chappal 16.69 percent, mutton 16.36 percent, chilies powder 15.20 percent, beef 13.56 percent, bananas 9.96 percent and bread 9.69 percent, according to the PBS.

Islamabad: Marking World Population Day, Islamabad based digital transformation company Wolfiz appealed governments and institutions to rethink approaches to population growth, arguing that the world’s greatest challenge lies not in numbers but in the capacity of public systems to keep pace with rising demand.

On World Population Day, the company underscored that rising populations are exerting mounting pressure on healthcare, transportation, housing, education, judicial systems, emergency response, public administration, and other vital services. It stressed that the central question is no longer whether populations will continue to grow, but whether the systems designed to support them are evolving swiftly enough to meet the shifting needs of society, said a press release.

“Population growth does not create crises on its own,” Wolfiz said. “It exposes the limitations of systems that were never designed to operate at today’s scale.”

Wolfiz maintained that many of the challenges commonly linked to population growth stem less from demographics than from outdated systems and governance models that have failed to evolve alongside society.

Wolfiz noted that this shift is already evident across several countries that have embraced digital transformation as a core element of public sector modernization. Estonia has established one of the world’s most advanced digital government ecosystems, Singapore continues to integrate artificial intelligence into urban planning and transport management, while the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have expanded digital public services to improve accessibility, operational efficiency, and citizen experience.

These examples demonstrate that governments are no longer required to expand bureaucracy, instead, intelligent digital systems are enabling institutions to serve larger populations through automation, integrated data platforms, predictive analytics, and AI powered decision support.

From virtual healthcare assistants that help reduce pressure on medical professionals to intelligent traffic management systems that optimise mobility and digital government platforms that simplify access to public services, technology is already transforming how nations respond to rising demand while improving efficiency and service quality.

Wolfiz said Pakistan has registered encouraging progress through initiatives to digitise public services and expand technology enabled governance. The company noted, however, that the next stage of national development hinges on accelerating the rollout of scalable digital infrastructure, strengthening interoperability among institutions, and embedding emerging technologies into the design of essential public services.

“The countries making the greatest progress are not necessarily those facing the fewest challenges,” the company observed. “They are the ones redesigning how public systems operate. Technology is no longer simply improving government services, it is redefining how governments deliver them.”

Wolfiz called for stronger collaboration between governments, technology companies, academia, and international development organisations to accelerate the adoption of proven digital solutions capable of building more resilient, efficient, and citizen centric societies.