Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Pakistan is preparing legal reforms to strengthen its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework, including mandatory mediation for certain categories of disputes, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik said on Thursday.

Speaking at a seminar titled “The Prophetic Art of Peacemaking: Negotiation, Mediation and Sulah in Islam for the Modern World” in Islamabad, Malik said promoting ‘Sulah’ (reconciliation) requires a collective national effort involving the judiciary, legal profession, academia, religious scholars, civil society, businesses and the media, said a press release.

The seminar, organized by the Ministry of Law and Justice through the International Mediation and Arbitration Center (IMAC), brought together judges, lawyers, religious scholars, ADR practitioners and academics to discuss the role of Islamic principles in modern dispute resolution.

Malik said many disputes could be resolved through dialogue and mediation instead of prolonged litigation, helping reduce the burden on courts. He urged religious scholars to promote the culture of reconciliation among younger generations.

The minister said the government was considering reforms that would make mediation mandatory in specified categories of disputes as part of efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s justice system.

Referring to recent regional tensions involving the United States and Iran, Malik said dialogue and peaceful engagement remain the most effective means of resolving conflicts at both the national and international levels. He also praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Defence Forces Field Martial Syed Asim Munir and other state institutions for supporting efforts to de-escalate tensions, and commended the media for promoting ADR initiatives.

Acting Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwer said Pakistan’s constitutional framework requires laws to remain consistent with the Quran and Sunnah, adding that Islamic teachings provide enduring principles of justice, dialogue and reconciliation. He urged religious scholars and community leaders to promote reconciliation through mosques and local communities.

Federal Secretary for Law and Justice Raja Naeem Akbar said the principles of modern mediation are deeply rooted in Islamic teachings, citing the Quranic injunction, “And reconciliation is best.”

The seminar also featured technical sessions on the Prophetic model of negotiation, faith-based mediation, public policy and legal reforms aimed at institutionalizing mediation and Sulah in Pakistan.

The event concluded with IMAC Project Director Aisha Rasool expressing hope that the discussions would encourage greater collaboration among stakeholders to promote peaceful dispute resolution across the country.

Islamabad: Acting President Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday invited Croatian businesses to explore opportunities in information technology, renewable energy, agriculture, livestock, food processing, tourism and hospitality, urban development and water and waste management.

He said the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) offers a streamlined mechanism to facilitate and support foreign investment.

He was talking to Dr. Gordan Grlic Radman, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Welcoming the Croatian Foreign Minister and his delegation, Mr Gilani described the first-ever visit of a Croatian Foreign Minister to Pakistan as a historic milestone in bilateral relations.

He said Pakistan greatly values its longstanding friendship with Croatia, founded on mutual respect and goodwill and expressed confidence that the visit would provide fresh impetus to bilateral cooperation.

The acting president commended Croatia’s remarkable progress over the past three decades and appreciated its important role in Europe and beyond, including as a member of the European Union and NATO. He noted that Pakistan remains committed to strengthening its engagement with Croatia, both bilaterally and within the broader framework of Pakistan’s partnership with the European Union.

Recalling that diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Croatia were established more than three decades ago, the Acting President underscored the importance of regular high-level exchanges and parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening bilateral relations.

He encouraged the establishment of Pakistan-Croatia Parliamentary Friendship Groups to promote sustained interaction between the elected representatives of the two countries.

He also extended a cordial invitation to the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Zoran Milanovic, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at mutually convenient dates.

Mr Gilani stressed the need to substantially expand bilateral trade and investment, observing that the existing trade volume remained well below the potential of the two economies.

He welcomed the growing presence of Croatian companies in Pakistan, including Infobip’s partnerships with leading Pakistani businesses and KONCAR’s contribution to the Chashma Hydropower Project, expressing the hope that these would pave the way for more Croatian investments in Pakistan.

He also emphasised the importance of facilitating the mobility of skilled Pakistani professionals, particularly in the construction, transport and hospitality sectors, noting that Pakistani manpower has made valuable contributions to the development of many countries across the Middle East, Europe and North America. He said closer cooperation in this area would serve the mutual interests of both countries.

Referring to regional connectivity, Mr Gilani proposed enhanced cooperation between Karachi Port and Croatia’s ports to facilitate greater trade with European markets. He also highlighted the potential for expanding collaboration in education, sports and information technology, noting Pakistan’s rapidly growing IT sector and expressing the hope that Croatia would benefit from Pakistan’s skilled and competitive digital workforce.

The Croatian foreign minister thanked the acting president for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation.

He reaffirmed Croatia’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Pakistan and expressed confidence that enhanced political dialogue, parliamentary exchanges and economic cooperation would further deepen the friendly relations between the two countries.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regular high-level contacts and working together to realise the full potential of Pakistan-Croatia relations across areas of mutual interest.

Secretary Foreign Affairs also attended the meeting.

Islamabad: Sindh has completed the rehabilitation of 141 flood-hit farm-to-market roads spanning 848.7 kilometres across 19 districts under the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project.

According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, completed road works aim at restoring mobility, market access and rural connectivity in areas devastated by floods.

The rehabilitated roads cover flood-hit districts of Jamshoro, Dadu, Naushahro Feroze, Thatta, Sujawal, Hyderabad, Matiari, Tando Allahyar, Badin, Tharparkar, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana, Umerkot, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Kambar Shahdadkot and Sukkur.

The project deadline for this road component was December 2027, but the official status shows the package has already been completed. The rehabilitated roads are expected to benefit around 5 million people, both directly and indirectly, by improving access to farms, markets, schools, health facilities and local commercial centres.

The documents also show wider progress under the Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project. So far, 2.420 million people have benefited against the overall target of 5.3 million, while 1.171 million women have benefited against the target of 2.650 million.

In addition, 428,000 households have benefited so far, short of the target of 600,000. The project has also rehabilitated 205 kilometres of embankments to improved designs against a target of 250 kilometres, while 157,000 hectares of land have been restored against a target of 180,000 hectares.

The completion of farm-to-market roads is significant because rural road connectivity is a major bottleneck in post-flood recovery. Damaged roads cut off villages from markets, delay the movement of crops and livestock, raise transport costs and weaken household incomes. Restoring these links can directly support agriculture, small trade and rural employment.

Islamabad: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) here on Thursday recorded the statements of four prosecution witnesses in a case pertaining to the martyrdom of four Rangers personnel during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest on November 26, 2024 .

Judge Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the case, with Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kiyani appearing before the court on behalf of the prosecution . The statements of the witnesses were formally recorded, after which the court adjourned the proceedings until July 16.

The trial is currently proceeding only in respect of the main accused, Hashim Abbasi . The prosecution has provided a list of over 30 witnesses in the case. Abbasi was arrested after being accused of running over the Rangers personnel with a vehicle during the protest . His post-arrest bail was approved in March 2025, with the court observing that prima facie there was a case for further inquiry against him .

The case has also been registered against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) founder, Bushra Bibi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, and several other leaders under anti-terrorism provisions at Ramna Police Station . However, the charge sheet against them has not yet been submitted before the court.

Islamabad: A fire that broke out at G-9 Markaz in Islamabad was brought under control after a response by firefighting teams, while district authorities continued post-fire operations at the site.

According to the district administration, the Assistant Commissioner and Magistrate remained present at the location to monitor the situation and coordinate response efforts. Fire brigade vehicles worked to contain the blaze and successfully prevented its further spread.

Following the extinguishing of the fire, a cooling process is still underway to eliminate any remaining hotspots and reduce the risk of reignition. Officials said teams are continuing to monitor the affected area as part of standard safety procedures.

The district administration confirmed that the immediate emergency has been handled, and authorities are now focusing on assessing the impact of the incident. Relevant departments are collecting information from the site and reviewing available evidence.

Officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the fire. The inquiry will examine all possible factors that may have contributed to the incident.

Authorities have urged the public to rely on official sources for information while the investigation and assessment process continues.

Islamabad: Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Dr. Gordan Grlic Radman arrived here on Thursday for a one-day visit.

On his arrival at the airport, he was received by Director General Europe-I Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This is the first-ever visit by a Croatian foreign minister to Pakistan.

During the visit, Dr. Gordan Grlic Radman will hold delegation-level talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and call on the leadership including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Pakistan looks forward to further strengthening bilateral cooperation with Croatia in areas of mutual interest.

This high-level visit from Croatia to Pakistan will help boost bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation in the fields of mutual benefit.