Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Pakistan’s capital market achieved a historic milestone during financial year 2025-26, as stock market investor accounts increased by 48%, the highest-ever annual growth recorded in the country’s capital market.

The number of stock market investors increased from 392,775 on July 1, 2025, to 583,052 as of June 30, with the addition of 190,277 new investors, said a press release issued by the SECP here on Thursday.

The growth reflects increasing public confidence, improved market access and rising interest in investment opportunities. SECP, in collaboration with Capital Market Infrastructure Institutions (CMIIs) including the National Clearing Company of Pakistan (NCCPL), Central Depository Company (CDC) and Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), introduced several reforms to make account opening easier and promote financial inclusion.

Key reforms include increasing the Sahulat Account limit from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 3 million, removing duplicate requirements for investors opening accounts through banks, digital banks and Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), introducing IBAN-based verification, and launching Minor Trading Accounts that enable individuals below 18 years of age to invest through their guardians.

During the year, Karachi recorded the highest share of new investor accounts at 25%, followed by Lahore 16%, Islamabad and Rawalpindi 13%, Faisalabad 4% and Multan 3%, showing increasing participation from major cities across Pakistan.

Young investors played a significant role in this growth, with 45% of new UINs registered by individuals aged 18 to 30 years during January-June 2026. Investors aged 31 to 45 years contributed another 41% of new accounts, highlighting growing participation of young and working-age investors in the capital market.

SECP Chairman Dr. Kabir Ahmed Sidhu said that increasing retail participation, particularly among young investors, is a key priority for SECP. He said the Commission, together with market institutions, is introducing technology-driven solutions, including a mobile application for digital onboarding, to make investing simpler, faster and more accessible.

‘Pakistan’s capital market can play an important role in economic growth by channeling savings into productive investments. Our focus is to simplify access, strengthen investor confidence and encourage more citizens, especially youth, to participate in wealth creation and the country’s economic development,’ Dr. Sidhu said.

Islamabad: Senior Superintendent (SP) Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Khalid Mehmood Awan visited various security checkpoints to review security arrangements and inspect the performance of police personnel deployed on duty.

An official told reporter on Thursday that the SP Khalid inspected security measures at the checkpoints and reviewed the checking mechanism to ensure effective monitoring of suspicious movements.

Khalid directed the officers to ensure thorough checking of suspicious vehicles and motorcycles while maintaining a high level of vigilance to prevent any untoward incident.

SP Khalid also instructed police personnel to deal with citizens courteously and professionally while performing their duties and to facilitate the public without compromising security.

He emphasized that effective checking, alertness, and public-friendly policing were essential for maintaining peace and strengthening security across the federal capital, the official added.

Islamabad: Cybersecurity experts Thursday cautioned the public to remain aware and vigilant against sharing high-resolution images online, warning that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be exploited by criminals to reconstruct fingerprints and carry out identity-related fraud.

Talking to a private news channel, cybersecurity expert Abdul Qadir highlighted growing digital privacy risks and urged people to exercise caution while sharing photos on social media platforms.

He warned users against posting high-resolution images showing gestures such as thumbs-up and victory signs, as such images may expose sensitive biometric details.

Abdul Qadir explained that advancements in Artificial Intelligence have increased the ability of cybercriminals to analyze publicly available images and potentially reconstruct fingerprint patterns from clear photographs, adding that fingerprints are unique biometric identifiers and should be protected like passwords.

The cybersecurity expert advised social media users to avoid sharing close-up images of their fingers, especially those captured with high-quality cameras, as criminals may misuse such information for identity-related fraud and other cybercrimes.

He further encouraged the public to adopt responsible online habits, including reviewing privacy settings, limiting the amount of personal information shared publicly and being mindful of the potential risks associated with digital content.

Abdul Qadir said that awareness and caution are key to reducing cyber threats in an increasingly digital environment. He urged users to think carefully before uploading personal images online and to remain updated about emerging cybersecurity risks.

He emphasized that while social media platforms provide opportunities for communication and connection, users must also take necessary precautions to protect their personal data and digital identities.

The expert further encouraged social media users to review their privacy settings, limit the information they share publicly, and remain aware of the risks associated with posting personal images online.

Abdul Qadir said that cyber awareness is the first line of defense against digital crimes and urged people to adopt safe online habits. He added that users should think carefully before sharing personal content and take necessary steps to safeguard their digital identities.

Concluding his remarks, Abdul Qadir warned that the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence could create serious challenges in the coming years, adding that by 2030, the volume of AI-generated and manipulated content could become so widespread that people may even struggle to distinguish real images of their own family members from fake ones.

Islamabad: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the well-known strategic think tank ‘Center of Pakistan and International Relations’ (COPAIR) and the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST), Islamabad to promote youth and women empowerment on Thursday.

The MoU was signed during the visit of COPIAR President, corporate leader and strategic thinker Amina Munawar visited the university and met Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari.

The MoU was executed by Amina Munawar on behalf of COPAIR and by Dr Faisal Javaid, Deputy Director ORIC and Head of Department, International Relations and Mass Communication, on behalf of the university.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari said that Federal Urdu University was giving special attention to global connections, environmental issues, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship. He said this partnership with COPIAR will especially benefit the students. Providing students with entrepreneurship opportunities, scholarships, internships and career opportunities is one of the university’s top priorities.

Dr Shinwari said that Federal Urdu University was a national asset with great historical importance. He added that by promoting research and strengthening collaboration with different institutions, the university will further improve its image and soon become one of the country’s leading universities. He said the university ensures complete transparency in academic, administrative and financial matters and regularly organizes national and international research programs, giving young people opportunities to show their talent.

Corporate leader and strategic thinker Amina Munawar said she was impressed by the academic and research environment of the university. She appreciated the vision of Vice Chancellor Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari and said COPIAR was pleased to work with the university in different areas of research. She said the organization would provide internship opportunities to students and help connect academia with industry to create employment opportunities for young people.

She added that space studies would also be one of the focus areas, and a Canadian space institution would support this initiative.

According to the MoU, COPIAR and Federal Urdu University would jointly organize research conferences, promote research activities and help students access scholarships and employment opportunities while reducing the gap between academia and the job market.

Dr Sikander Zarren, Coordinator of the Department of Mass Communication, Saima Azhar, Coordinator of the Department of International Relations, Sadia Safdar Manager ORIC and Zain Tawan from a Space Institution of Canada were also present at the signing ceremony. Dr Faisal Javaid thanked Amina Munawar and her team and expressed the commitment to organize research and intellectual programs together in the near future.

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on Thursday reviewed the progress of the Benazir Income Support Programme’s (BISP) digital wallet system, directing the programme to strengthen implementation mechanisms, improve public awareness and ensure participating banks provide adequate facilitation to beneficiaries.

The committee, which met at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Mir Ghulam Ali Talpur, also discussed digital wallet interoperability, compliance by partner banks, beneficiary compensation following the Rahim Yar Khan payment centre incident, and administrative matters related to BISP and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal.

The meeting began with Fateha for the mother of Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Imran Ahmed Shah.

During the briefing, the Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) informed the committee that HBL and HBL Microfinance Bank would operationalise interoperability by July 16, followed by Telenor Microfinance Bank on July 20, while all six participating banks are expected to complete integration by July 31.

He said online transfers and RAAST transactions would remain free of charge, while transaction charges would apply only to cash withdrawals.

He further informed the committee that complete digitalisation and mandatory online functionality of BISP beneficiary accounts is planned by December 31.

Responding to questions regarding the absence of Point-of-Sale (POS) staff, an HBL representative informed the committee that 77 out of 104 designated staff members were currently deployed in Gujrat district and around 35 per cent of the disbursement target had been achieved there.

Expressing concern over limited public awareness of the Social Protection Digital Wallet and the enforcement of contractual obligations on participating banks, the committee directed the BISP secretary to establish an effective implementation mechanism and ensure banks provide sufficient on-site POS agents and facilitation for beneficiaries.

The BISP secretary assured the committee that a district-wise performance report of participating banks would be submitted and said interoperability had been achieved through coordinated efforts of all stakeholders.

The SBP deputy governor informed the committee that the transaction cost had been fixed at Rs 280, while the schedule of charges would be notified by the central bank every six months.

The committee also directed BISP to submit a detailed report on its public awareness campaign and coordinate with all six participating banks to launch social media awareness campaigns through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The committee acknowledged progress made in the digital transformation of the social protection system and appreciated the role of the State Bank and the committee’s leadership in advancing the initiative.

Discussing the March 16, incident at a Mobilink Microfinance Bank (JazzCash) BISP payment distribution centre in Rahim Yar Khan, the committee was informed that the bank had been penalised by BISP.

Families of each deceased person had received Rs two million in compensation, while Rs 500,000 had been provided for the medical treatment of each injured person, with the amounts recovered from the bank.

The committee also expressed concern over inadequate accessibility for persons with disabilities at banking facilities.

The State Bank assured members that a comprehensive accessibility and disability audit of bank branches would be carried out.

On administrative matters, the committee was informed that BISP was currently operating with 134 employees on deputation and 17 consultants while facing shortages of permanent staff due to federal austerity measures.

The committee directed the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety to submit a summary to the Finance Division and the relevant austerity committee within two weeks seeking exemptions for staffing requirements.

The committee also reviewed matters relating to Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal. Members were informed that Shaikh Zayed Medical College Hospital in Rahim Yar Khan lacked facilities for cochlear implants, while the Women Empowerment Centre in Khangarh Tehsil remained non-operational because of infrastructure and human resource constraints.

The committee proposed a temporary arrangement in Muzaffargarh to ensure continuity of services.

The committee further decided that questions submitted by members regarding BISP and its beneficiaries would be included in the agenda of its next meeting.

The meeting was attended by committee members, Federal Minister Imran Ahmed Shah, Managing Director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal Senator Capt. Shaheen Khalid Butt, the Secretary BISP and senior officials from the ministry and other relevant organisations.

Islamabad: The Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment has imposed penalties of Rs 2.7 million in a workplace harassment case involving five employees, directing that Rs 2.16 million be paid to the complainant and Rs 540,000 be deposited in the national treasury.

The ruling also orders the institution to complete key administrative actions within 15 and 30 days, said a press release issued here on Thursday.

The case was filed by a former female employee who accused several senior and supervisory staff members of harassment and retaliation during her employment.

The accused rejected all allegations and described the complaint as false.

During proceedings, they attempted to challenge the complainant’s credibility by referring to her personal life, appearance, and conduct.

After examining documentary evidence, witness statements, and the responses submitted by the accused, the Federal Ombudsperson concluded that harassment and retaliation had been established.

The ruling directs the institution to reconstitute its anti-harassment committee within 30 days. It must also issue the complainant’s experience letter, clearance documents, salary slips, and complete settlement within 15 days.