Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari, accompanied by a high-level delegation, met with President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Zhaparov Nurgozhoevich in Bishkek on Tuesday during an official visit to Kyrgyzstan.

President Zardari’s visit, underscores the enduring friendship and time tested relations between Pakistan and Kyrgysztan, based on common faith, shared history and cultural affinity, a press release issued by the President House Media Wing said.

The meeting was preceded by an official Welcoming Ceremony held in honour of the President of Pakistan at the Rukh Ordo Cultural Centre.

In the meeting, both leaders discussed ways to further deepen the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan. They reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation and explored opportunities in trade, energy, connectivity, political and commercial cooperation, culture, education, people-to-people exchanges and progress on CASA-1000 Project, highlighting the potential for expanding economic, cultural, inter-parliamentary and strategic partnership.

The President recalled the Kyrgyz President’s recent State Visit to Pakistan in December 2025, the first visit by a Kyrgyz President to Pakistan in two decades, saying that the visit imparted fresh momentum to this bilateral relationship and resulted in signing of 16 Agreements/MoUs. He said that Kyrgyzstan occupy an important position for Pakistan’s ‘Vision Central Asia’ policy.

President Zardari also congratulated the Kyrgyz President on the country’s historic election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2027-2028 term.

The President stated that Pakistan looks forward to continued close coordination with the Kyrgyz Republic at the United Nations, OIC, ECO, SCO and other multilateral platforms and said that enhanced parliamentary, defence, security and strategic-policy exchanges to build greater mutual understanding on regional and global developments will be welcomed.

Both sides exchanged views on a range of important regional and international developments and reaffirmed their mutual commitment to promoting peace, stability and progress through dialogue.

A Memorandum of Understanding, between the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP), was signed by Mr Damirbek Osmonov, the Kyrgyz Minister of Health and Dr Mukhtar Bharath, Minister of State for National Health Services.

A Joint Statement was later signed by the two Presidents on this occasion.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry; Minister of State for National Health Services, Dr Mukhtar Bharath; Senator Saleem Mandviwalla; Dr Asim Hussain; Spokesperson to the President, Mr Murtaza Solangi and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan were also present during the meeting.

The meeting was followed by an official reception, hosted by the Kyrgyz President, in honour of the President of Pakistan.

Islamabad: The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Tuesday received Mr. Mohammed Yahya, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, on his farewell call at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, marking the successful conclusion of his tenure.

The meeting underscored the enduring partnership between the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the United Nations in advancing judicial reform, strengthening the rule of law, and promoting equitable access to justice.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan appreciated Mr. Yahya’s constructive engagement with Pakistan’s justice sector and acknowledged the United Nations’ continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening access to justice, institutional capacity, and the rule of law.

He commended the spirit of partnership that has characterized the collaboration between the United Nations and the judiciary during Mr. Yahya’s tenure.

The meeting provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved through joint engagement in areas of mutual interest, including judicial reform, gender-responsive justice, legal empowerment, and institutional capacity building.

Both sides reaffirmed the importance of sustained cooperation in advancing a people-centred, inclusive, and responsive justice system aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Chief Justice also briefed the Resident Coordinator on the judiciary’s ongoing reform agenda focused on improving accessibility, efficiency, transparency, and public confidence in the administration of justice through technology-driven innovation, institutional strengthening, and enhanced service delivery.

Expressing his gratitude for the warm cooperation extended during his tenure, Mr. Mohammed Yahya appreciated the commitment of the leadership of the judiciary to advancing meaningful reforms.

He acknowledged the significant progress being made to improve justice delivery and reiterated the United Nations’ continued support for Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen the rule of law and access to justice.

The Chief Justice presented a souvenir to Mr. Yahya as a gesture of goodwill. He also conveyed his best wishes for Mr. Yahya’s future assignments and expressed confidence that the strong partnership between the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the United Nations would continue to grow in the years ahead.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday paid rich tribute to Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaheed, Nishan-e-Haider, on his martyrdom anniversary, honoring his great sacrifice and bravery during the Kargil war of 1999.

In their separately issued statements, the president and the prime minister said that Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaheed’s determination and patriotism served as a guiding light for future generations, as well as a source of pride for the entire nation.

President Zardari said that that the sacrifices of the martyrs were guarantee for a secure, strong, and dignified future for Pakistan.

He said that Havaldar Lalak Jan Shaheed set a bright example of unparalleled courage, steadfastness, and devotion to duty for the defense of the homeland.

The president said that the sacrifices of the martyrs formed a strong foundation for Pakistan’s security, sovereignty, and national dignity, which the nation would always remember with reverence and pride.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said that Havaldar Lalak Jan’s courage, bravery, and great sacrifice for the defense of the homeland during the Kargil war were a source of pride for the entire nation.

He said that remaining steadfast against the enemy despite being severely injured was proof of his unparalleled spirit of patriotism.

The prime minister reaffirmed that the nation would never forget the sacrifices of this great son of the soil and all other martyrs of Pakistan.

Islamabad: The federal government has extended the contract appointment of Brigadier (Retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha as the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission (PMIC) for a further period of two years in recognition of his outstanding performance.

A formal notification to this effect has been issued by the Establishment Division. According to the official notification, the two-year extension of Brigadier (Retd) Muzaffar Ali Ranjha’s contract as PMIC Chairman, operating under the Prime Minister’s Office, was being effected from July 1, under the same terms and conditions, and would remain effective until further orders.

Under his capable leadership, the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission has put forward numerous key and concrete recommendations during his tenure aimed at enhancing the efficiency of federal institutions and resolving long-standing challenges recommedations that were currently being actively implemented by the federal government. Furthermore, the Commission closely evaluated various ongoing developmental and public-welfare projects, alongside other critical operational matters, and submitted multiple comprehensive evaluation reports directly to the Prime Minister.

Recognizing the Commission’s stellar performance, commitment to transparency, and driven by a resolve to further strengthen the monitoring framework across all federal bodies, the federal government formally approved the extension of his tenure.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja held separate meetings on Tuesday to discuss cooperation in information technology, digital innovation, and skills development.

On the sidelines of Digital Week and the Global Dialogue Summit in Geneva, the minister met with Seema Malhotra, a Member of Parliament from the United Kingdom.

The two sides discussed collaboration in the IT sector, digital technologies, and skills exchange between the two countries.

In a separate meeting, the minister met with Jonathan Reid, cc Minister of Innovation, Industry, Science and Technology.

The discussions focused on technological innovation, scientific cooperation, and other areas of mutual interest.

The meetings were aimed at promoting Pakistan’s IT sector on the global stage and strengthening international cooperation in digital technologies.

Islamabad: Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP) Chairman Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, the chief guest, on Tuesday launched the Climate Resilient Peanut Value Chain Development for Rural Enterprise and Economic Graduation Project at the signing of a partnership agreement between the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS AAUR). Funded by PPAF and to be implemented with the technical assistance of PMAS AAUR.

The ceremony was attended by PPAF Chief Executive Officer Nadir Gul Barech as guest of honour and PMAS AAUR Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Qamar uz Zaman, the project’s Patron in Chief.

The three year project will initially be launched in the peanut growing areas of Gujar Khan in Rawalpindi district and Fateh Jang in Attock district to promote climate smart agriculture, improve productivity, strengthen value addition, create rural enterprises, generate employment and increase farmers’ incomes through research, innovation, entrepreneurship and market linkages.

Addressing the ceremony, Rana Mashhood said the government is investing heavily in education, technical skills, innovation and agricultural research to build a knowledge based economy and prepare young Pakistanis for emerging global opportunities.

He said universities must move beyond conventional degree programmes by integrating technical qualifications, professional certifications and industry relevant skills so graduates remain competitive in rapidly changing international markets.

Highlighting reforms in technical education, Chief PMYP said the government, in collaboration with NAVTTC and leading Chinese institutions, had introduced 21 modern technical trades aligned with international industry requirements.

Nearly 50 Pakistani universities are also being connected with Chinese universities to strengthen research collaboration, technology transfer and academic partnerships.

Rana Mashhood said that government planned to train up to 10,000 youth in advanced agricultural technologies.

He added that a leading Chinese agricultural university would collaborate with PMAS AAUR and other Pakistani institutions to establish state of the art research facilities and promote joint scientific research.

Referring to the success of Pakistan’s olive industry, Mr Khan said similar interventions in the peanut sector could significantly improve farmers’ incomes, promote agribusiness and expand export potential.

He said new employment opportunities are emerging for Pakistanis in Japan, South Korea, Europe, the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates and other international markets.

Speaking on the occasion, PPAF Chief Executive Officer Nadir Gul Barech described the agreement as the beginning of a strategic partnership that brings together research, innovation, entrepreneurship and community development to transform Pakistan’s rural economy.

Mr. Barech said that since its establishment in 1997, PPAF had expanded its outreach to 150 districts through more than 164 partner organisations, empowering millions of people through community driven development, financial inclusion, enterprise promotion and livelihood programmes.

Highlighting PPAF’s achievements, CEO PPAF said the organisation had mobilised 2.67 million households, created nearly 2.9 million employment opportunities, disbursed 3.67 million interest free loans under the Prime Minister’s Interest Free Loan Programme, facilitated 8.4 million microfinance loans, provided skills training to more than 1.19 million people, transferred productive assets to over 206,700 vulnerable households, completed 35,300 community infrastructure projects, implemented 1,450 renewable energy schemes, supported education for more than 433,300 students, delivered 15.46 million medical consultations, and assisted 1.8 million households through disaster response and climate resilience initiatives.

Mr. Barech said PPAF’s new five-year strategy places MSME development, entrepreneurship, value chain development and economic inclusion at the heart of its future programming.

Referring to the European Union funded GRASP programme, he said it had enabled more than 45,000 MSMEs, farmers and producers to improve their businesses, generated around 88,341 new jobs, and leveraged nearly PKR3 in private investment for every PKR1 of grant funding.

He said the peanut value chain project had been jointly designed by PPAF and PMAS AAUR after extensive consultations with scientists, researchers, farmers, processors, entrepreneurs and market experts to develop Pakistan’s first integrated climate resilient peanut value chain model.

Over the next three years, he said, the project would train around 2,000 farmers, MSMEs and primary producers, modernise the university’s peanut processing facility into a demonstration and value addition centre, establish a certified seed system producing 8 to 12 tonnes of quality seed, increase peanut productivity from around 400 kilograms per acre to nearly 600 kilograms per acre, support up to 40 MSMEs, including women led enterprises, ensure at least 40% participation of women and youth, incubate two youth led agribusiness startups, and strengthen branding, packaging, access to finance and market linkages for peanut based enterprises.

He said the project’s success would be measured through higher rural incomes, stronger startups and MSMEs, greater participation of women entrepreneurs and the development of a scalable model for university led innovation, rural industrialisation and climate resilient agricultural transformation across Pakistan.

The speakers expressed confidence that the partnership would become a model for collaboration between academia, development institutions and the private sector to accelerate climate resilient agriculture, promote entrepreneurship, strengthen value chains and drive inclusive economic growth.

Prof. Dr. Qamar-uz-Zaman, Vice Chancellor, PMAS-AAUR, welcomed the partnership and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to providing scientific research, technical expertise, and innovation to modernize Pakistan’s peanut value chain.

He said the collaboration would bridge research with practical implementation, enabling farmers to adopt smart climate technologies, improve productivity, and access new market opportunities while contributing to sustainable agricultural development.

The ceremony concluded with the formal signing and exchange of the partnership agreement between PPAF and PMAS-AAUR in the presence of Chairman Prime Minister’s Youth Programme (PMYP), Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan.

The agreement officially launched the Climate Resilient Peanut Value Chain Development for Rural Enterprise and Economic Graduation Project, marking the beginning of a long-term partnership to advance research, climate smart agriculture, innovation, youth entrepreneurship and sustainable rural economic transformation in Pakistan.