Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi on Wednesday said agriculture and industry are the two sectors that can strengthen Pakistan’s economy, increase exports, create jobs and raise national revenue.

Speaking at the 10th mango festival, he said the country must support farmers and industries to achieve sustainable economic growth.

The minister praised investors and business leaders who continued to invest in Pakistan and contributed to promoting the country’s products in local and international markets. Referring to the mango festival, he said the event has become an important platform for introducing Pakistani mangoes to buyers and consumers from around the world.

Abbasi said Pakistan’s mangoes have earned recognition in international markets because of their quality and demand. He added that festivals and exhibitions help showcase agricultural products and create opportunities for export growth.

He also appreciated the role of Nawaz Sharif Agriculture University Multan in supporting agricultural research and sharing modern farming knowledge with growers. He said research institutions play an important role in improving production and helping farmers adopt better agricultural practices.

The minister announced that Pakistan Railways is prepared to support exporters and farmers through special freight rates for transportation from Lahore, Multan and Khanewal. He said an efficient transport network is necessary for increasing exports and reducing costs for producers.

Highlighting economic priorities, Abbasi said agriculture and industry should remain at the center of national policy. He noted that Pakistan spends billions of dollars on imports, including pulses, despite having the land and resources needed to produce many agricultural commodities domestically.

He urged policymakers to provide greater support to farmers, including affordable electricity and other incentives. While acknowledging measures already taken by provincial and federal governments, including solar-powered tube wells in some areas, he said more steps are required to improve agricultural productivity and support rural communities.

Discussing industrial development, Abbasi said businesses face challenges due to energy costs, taxes and financing expenses. He stressed the need to address these issues to improve competitiveness and encourage investment.

Turning to the railway sector, the minister said Pakistan Railways is undergoing reforms aimed at improving efficiency and expanding freight services. He noted that rail transport remains one of the most cost-effective and secure methods of moving goods and is widely used across the world.

According to Abbasi, Pakistan Railways increased its revenue through operational improvements and better management. He said freight operations recorded significant growth despite challenges in the regional trade environment.

The minister added that new initiatives are being introduced in freight transportation, including services for edible oil and automobile vehicles. He said expanding rail-based logistics will help reduce transportation costs and support economic activity.

Abbasi concluded by stressing the importance of national unity and collective efforts for development. He said progress depends on strengthening institutions, supporting productive sectors and working together to advance the country’s economic interests.

The annual mango festival brought together farmers, exporters, researchers and business representatives, highlighting the role of Pakistan’s mango industry in promoting agricultural exports and international trade.

Islamabad: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCCP) has ruled that land acquired for a public purpose under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, cannot be diverted to any other purpose-particularly for private, commercial use or a housing scheme-without the prior approval of the government.

The court further held that even a purchaser acquiring such land through a court auction remains bound by all legal and contractual obligations applicable to the original company and does not acquire an absolute right to alter the nature of its use.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Justice Aminuddin Khan and Justice Ali Baqar Najafi dismissed the leave to appeal petition filed by M/s Adil International (Pvt.) Ltd. in a 39-page judgment, upholding the decision of the Peshawar High Court.

The court observed that when the State acquires private land in the public interest, the constitutional justification for such acquisition rests solely on the public purpose for which the land is taken. If the land is subsequently used for private or commercial purposes, the constitutional basis of the acquisition itself is undermined.

According to the judgment, 1,020 kanals and 19 marlas of land in Nowshera were acquired in 1954 for the establishment of Board and Paper Mills. After the mills ceased operations, their assets were sold through a public auction under the orders of a Banking Court, where the petitioner company purchased the assets.

The company later demolished the factory and sought to develop a housing scheme on the land. However, the relevant authorities refused to approve the change in land use and registration of plots. The company’s constitutional petition challenging the decision was earlier dismissed by the Peshawar High Court.

The Federal Constitutional Court held that the transfer of ownership through a judicial auction does not alter the legal character of the land. The new purchaser acquires only those rights that were available to the original company and remains bound by the same statutory and contractual conditions attached to the acquisition.

The judgment noted that under Section 41 of the Land Acquisition Act, the agreement between the government and the original company had legal force, restricting the use of the land exclusively to the establishment and operation of the Board and Paper Mills. It further observed that under Section 43-A of the Act, the sale, lease, mortgage, transfer or change in the use of such land cannot be undertaken without the prior approval of the provincial government.

The court emphasized that land acquired for a public purpose does not become ordinary private property, as its public character continues to subsist. Allowing such land to be used for private commercial gain, it said, would be contrary to the legal framework of the Land Acquisition Act and Article 24 of the Constitution.

The judgment further observed that while the Constitution guarantees citizens the fundamental right to own property, the State may acquire private property only in accordance with law and for a public purpose. Therefore, if the original public purpose ceases to exist or the land is used contrary to that purpose, the government is competent to take action under the law.

Referring to Islamic principles, the court noted that Islam protects private property rights and prohibits the unlawful appropriation or misuse of another person’s property. It held that the principles of Shariah also support the view that land acquired for a public purpose cannot be diverted to private commercial interests.

The court concluded that since the land in question had been specifically acquired for the establishment of the Board and Paper Mills, the petitioner company failed to establish any legal, absolute or indefeasible right to convert it into a housing scheme.

It further observed that if the provincial government concludes that the land is no longer required for the original purpose or is being used in violation of that purpose, it is competent to proceed in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, and the agreement executed on October 16, 1954.

Finding no legal, constitutional or jurisdictional infirmity in the judgment of the Peshawar High Court, the Federal Constitutional Court dismissed the leave to appeal petition and upheld the impugned judgment.

Islamabad: Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry has accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly of promoting the very “VIP culture” it once pledged to abolish, describing recently approved privileges for provincial lawmakers as a form of “political bribery.”

Speaking to PTV News, Chaudhry said the party that had promised to eliminate elite privileges had instead enacted legislation granting unprecedented benefits to its own members.

“They have one face for the public and another for themselves. They tell people one thing but do something entirely different,” he said.

He said successive governments and assemblies in Pakistan have introduced various benefits for legislators, but he claimed no previous legislature had approved a package of privileges comparable to those recently passed by the KP Assembly.

Chaudhry recalled that the party had once promised modest governance, with leaders claiming they would travel by bicycle and dismantle VIP culture. Instead, he alleged, its leadership had embraced official privileges while extending new benefits to lawmakers.

He said the legislation grants assembly members exemptions from toll taxes, free accommodation at government rest houses, lifetime official (blue) passports for legislators and their immediate families, and firearms licences without fees, among other benefits.

The minister, however, maintained that the provincial legislation is not binding on the federal government, particularly in matters such as the issuance of official passports and prohibited-bore firearms licences, which fall under federal jurisdiction.

Talal Chaudhry said the federal government, under the directives of the Prime Minister and the Interior Ministry, had reduced the number of official (blue) passports issued by nearly half over the past two years. Such passports are now reserved strictly for individuals travelling on official government duty, he added.

“No additional blue passports will be issued merely because of this provincial legislation or to extend political favours,” he said.

Addressing the issue of firearms licences, Chaudhry said the federal government had reduced the issuance of prohibited-bore weapons licences by 95 per cent compared to previous administrations. He added that such licences are now issued only in exceptional cases after strict scrutiny and primarily to those entitled under the law.

He further claimed that licences for non-prohibited firearms had also been reduced by 60 to 65 per cent, adding that the government intends to tighten the policy even further.

The minister argued that the provincial legislation amounts to “political bribery,” alleging that the ruling party in KP was rewarding its own lawmakers despite earlier promises to end preferential treatment for politicians.

He questioned whether ordinary citizens receive benefits such as free accommodation at government rest houses, complimentary firearms licences, special vehicle number plates, tinted vehicle windows, state-provided security, or official passports.

Chaudhry also referred to a previous incident involving a PTI lawmaker, alleging that the son of a National Assembly member had misused an official passport by travelling to Europe and later surrendering it while seeking political asylum, an episode he said had damaged Pakistan’s international image.

Highlighting federal reforms, the minister said the government had strengthened passport security features, improved the passport issuance process, curtailed fraudulent documentation, and significantly reduced the number of official and diplomatic passports issued to ineligible individuals.

He claimed these measures had contributed to an improvement in Pakistan’s passport ranking over the past two-and-a-half years and had helped facilitate visa-free arrangements for holders of official and diplomatic passports with several countries.

The minister reiterated that the federal government would not implement any provincial measures relating to official passports, prohibited-bore weapons licences, or other privileges that it considers unjustified.

He concluded by calling the KP Assembly legislation “ridiculous,” saying it exposes the political contradiction of a party that came to power promising to end VIP culture but has instead, in his words, created “a new example of VIP culture through legislation.”

Islamabad: The Federal Directorate of Education’s (FDE) decision to open admissions for the 2026 academic session and restore several discontinued BS programmes in Federal Government colleges has been widely welcomed by teachers, who described the move as a major step towards strengthening affordable higher education in Islamabad.

FDE recently invited online applications for its 4-Year BS and 2-Year BS Lateral Entry programmes in 17 public colleges affiliated with Quaid-i-Azam University. Applications will remain open until 15 July 2026. Result-awaiting students of HSSC have also been allowed to apply for admission.

Teachers particularly appreciated the restoration of several BS programmes in boys’ colleges of the former Federal Government (Ex-FG) setup, saying the decision would significantly benefit male students of Islamabad by providing access to quality, globally competitive education at a fraction of the cost charged by many universities.

Under the new admissions plan, Islamabad Model Postgraduate College H-8 has been allowed to resume BS Geography alongside continuing BS Environmental Sciences. Similarly, Islamabad Model College for Boys (IMCB) H-9 has been permitted to restart BS Islamic Studies after a one-year gap, while IMCB F-10/4 will relaunch BS English and introduce a new BS Data Science programme in addition to its existing Statistics discipline.

A senior teacher said the initiative had been warmly received by the academic community and parents alike, as it would enable students to pursue quality higher education at public sector colleges with affordable tuition fees.

Akram Khan Khosa, President of the Federal Government College Teachers Association (FGCTA), lauded FDE’s vision of expanding BS programmes in both traditional and emerging disciplines. He said the introduction of market-oriented fields would equip graduates with skills needed for secure and rewarding careers while contributing to the country’s socio-economic development.

He also appreciated FDE for announcing admissions well ahead of the academic session, saying the timely schedule would help Islamabad’s colleges attract talented students who previously opted for universities due to delayed admissions in public colleges. Teachers expressed hope that these reforms would usher in a new era of academic excellence and strengthen the role of federal colleges in higher education.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Chairman, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday discussed the current situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

The PPP Chairman called on the deputy prime minister here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the DPM/FM congratulated Bilawal Bhutto on forming the government in GB, and the latter thanked the deputy prime minister for all the support of PML-N in the induction of an elected government in GB, a DPM’s Office news release said.

Both leaders agreed on the importance of holding free, fair, and transparent forthcoming general elections in AJK.

Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued notices to the Secretary Establishment Division and other respondents in a case concerning the repatriation of the Director General of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) to the Punjab government.

Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas heard the petition filed by Professor Dr. Zeeshan Danish. Advocate Shah Khawar appeared on behalf of the petitioner and argued that a notification regarding his client’s services was uploaded on the government website on May 20, 2026, without any prior hearing or notice to the petitioner. The counsel argued the notification was based on malafide intent and should be declared null and void.

Justice Minhas stated that the court would first seek a response from the respondents before proceeding further. The court issued notices to the Secretary Establishment Division, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, and the Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal, adjourning the hearing until the last week of July.

According to the petition, the notification was issued on May 20, 2026, repatriating Prof. Dr. Zeeshan Danish to the Punjab government. The petitioner claims the decision was taken without hearing him and that he only came to know of the action after the notification was uploaded.