Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Director General Basic Education and Community Schools (BECS) Hameed Khan Niazi has inaugurated the first-ever Continuous Professional Development (CPD) teachers’ training programme at the tehsil level in Gilgit-Baltistan, marking a significant step towards strengthening the quality of education in some of Pakistan’s most remote communities.

The CPD initiative aimed to enhance teachers’ professional skills by bringing structured training directly to the grassroots level, eliminating the need for long-distance travel.

Under the programme, 776 teachers will undergo intensive three-day Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training through 24 training centres established across Gilgit-Baltistan, covering all major districts and tehsils.

The first phase from July 7-9, covers 263 teachers through eight centres in Shigar, Skardu, Kharmang and Astore. The second phase, from July 14-16, will train 255 teachers at eight centres across Ghizer, Ghanche and Diamer, while the third phase, from July 21-23, will benefit 258 teachers through eight centres in Gilgit, Hunza and Nagar.

Officials said the programme reflects BECS’ commitment to decentralising Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and ensuring educators serving remote and mountainous areas receive modern teaching methodologies and classroom management skills closer to their workplaces.

The training focuses on improving instructional practices, classroom management, student engagement and learning outcomes to further strengthen the quality of education in BECS schools across Gilgit-Baltistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Director General Hameed Khan Niazi said the launch of the first-ever tehsil-level CPD programme demonstrates BECS’ commitment to investing in teachers’ professional growth and improving learning standards.

He said quality education begins with well-trained teachers, and the initiative will help build a stronger and more effective education system in underserved areas.

DG expressed confidence that the programme will significantly improve classroom practices, strengthen institutional capacity and contribute to better educational outcomes across Gilgit-Baltistan.

He described the initiative as a milestone in BECS’ efforts to provide equal professional development opportunities to teachers working in remote regions and to promote inclusive, equitable and quality education throughout the country.

Islamabad: Uzbekistan and Belarus have taken another significant step toward strengthening their economic partnership by advancing a series of trade, investment, and agricultural cooperation initiatives during the Belagro-2026 International Agricultural Exhibition and Fair held in Minsk from June 1-6 2026.

The visit of the official Uzbek delegation underscored both countries’ commitment to expanding bilateral trade, boosting agricultural exports, attracting investment, and developing long-term partnerships in the agri-food sector, said a release issued by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Islamabad here on Tuesday.

At the exhibition, the National Pavilion of Uzbekistan, organized by UZAGROSTAR HOLDING, showcased a diverse selection of fresh and processed agricultural products, highlighting the country’s growing export potential.

The pavilion attracted high-level visitors, including Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Belarus, Rahmatulla Nazarov and Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Yuriy Shuleyko, who discussed opportunities to increase the presence of Uzbek agricultural products in the Belarusian market.

The exhibition also provided a platform for productive meetings with Belarusian retail chains, importers, and wholesale market operators. Discussions focused on expanding direct business-to-business cooperation, increasing the volume and variety of Uzbek agricultural exports, and establishing long-term supply agreements.

One of the key meetings was held with the management of the Noviy Lebyajiy wholesale market in the Minsk district, where both sides explored plans to facilitate regular exports of Uzbek fruits, vegetables, and processed food products while creating dedicated trading spaces for Uzbek producers.

Cooperation in the livestock sector also gained fresh momentum. Uzbekistan signed a cooperation agreement with the Belarusian organization Belplemjivobyedineniye to supply high-yield pedigree cattle to entrepreneurs in the Samarkand region. The initiative is expected to support breeding programs and improve livestock productivity in Uzbekistan.

To strengthen logistics cooperation, the Uzbek delegation visited the Ozerco-Logistik trade and logistics center in the Minsk district. The visit offered valuable insights into Belarus’s modern logistics infrastructure, including digital cargo management systems, customs procedures, and international freight distribution practices that could help improve Uzbekistan’s export logistics.

Investment cooperation reached a new milestone with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between MARAQAND MEAT LLC of Uzbekistan and the Mogilev Regional Executive Committee. The agreement outlines plans to establish a modern livestock production complex in Belarus and creates a framework for future joint investment projects in the agro-industrial sector.

The delegation also toured advanced agricultural enterprises in Belarus’s Vitebsk region, where experts exchanged experience in intensive livestock farming, farm management, feed production, digital agriculture, and sustainable agricultural development.

The visit concluded with several agreements aimed at expanding exports of Uzbek agricultural products to Belarus, strengthening partnerships between exporters and importers, improving logistics networks, importing pedigree livestock, and launching new joint investment projects.

The outcomes of Belagro-2026 reaffirm the growing strategic importance of Uzbekistan-Belarus economic cooperation and highlight the agricultural sector as one of the most promising areas for long-term bilateral partnership.

Islamabad: Leaders of the Pakistan Romania Business Council (PRBC) attended a cultural evening organized by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Karachi, featuring ‘KANYA Wonder Dance from Colombo.’

The event brought together diplomats, business representatives, and members of the cultural sector at Port Grand Karachi to celebrate Sri Lankan culture through music and dance.

The performance was choreographed and led by Sri Lankan Dance Director Chandana Wickramasinghe. The program highlighted Sri Lanka’s cultural traditions and provided an opportunity for guests to engage through artistic exchange.

Representing PRBC at the event were Atif Farooqi, Advisor and Chief Operating Officer, and Sohail Shamim Firpo, Chairman of PRBC. Their participation reflected the Council’s efforts to support cultural engagement alongside its work in promoting trade and economic cooperation.

PRBC officials said cultural events play an important role in strengthening relations between countries by creating opportunities for interaction between people, institutions, and business communities. They noted that such initiatives complement ongoing efforts aimed at expanding international partnerships and economic cooperation, including activities involving Pakistan and Romania.

During the event, PRBC leadership thanked the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Karachi for organizing the program and providing a platform to showcase Sri Lankan dance and cultural traditions. They said cultural exchanges help build understanding and create opportunities for future cooperation in different sectors.

The gathering concluded with interaction among participants from diplomatic, business, and cultural circles, reflecting the growing importance of cultural engagement in supporting international relations and community-level connections.I can also adapt it into a newspaper-style report with a stronger headline and dateline format if needed.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Tuesday criticised the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, saying the province had witnessed no development since the formation of the provincial government.

In a statement posted on X, the minister said the chief minister and members of the provincial cabinet had focused on staging protests outside Adiala Jail instead of addressing the province’s development needs and public welfare.

He said the provincial government’s priorities had resulted in the wastage of the province’s resources rather than improving governance and public services.

Dr Tariq Fazal further criticised legislative proposals in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, saying that lawmakers had introduced legislation aimed at serving their personal interests instead of providing relief to the public.

He questioned the rationale behind a proposal to exempt members of the provincial assembly from paying toll taxes, asking whether such a measure could be considered a public welfare initiative.

The minister also said provincial lawmakers would be able to obtain licences for eight prohibited-bore weapons under the proposed measures.

He further said preparations were underway to grant lifetime blue passports to members of the provincial assembly and their spouses.

The minister said lawmakers would also be allowed to stay free of charge for up to three days in government guest houses.

Dr Tariq Fazal questioned whether these proposals addressed the pressing issues facing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or provided any meaningful public relief.

Islamabad: Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change Chairperson Senator Sherry Rehman on Tuesday said India’s continued attempt to keep the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance was contrary to international law and established principles governing transboundary water cooperation.

In a statement, she said the treaty contained no provision allowing either party to suspend or terminate it unilaterally, adding that Pakistan, as the lower riparian state, viewed the issue with “the utmost seriousness”.

She said recent statements by senior Indian officials on diverting the Chenab River, refusing to restore the treaty and denying water to Pakistan reflected a departure from cooperative water governance and carried legal implications.

The senator said UN special rapporteurs had maintained that India’s declaration had no legal effect on the continued operation of the treaty or Pakistan’s rights. She added that the Permanent Court of Arbitration had also upheld the treaty’s validity and rejected attempts to justify its suspension.

Sherry Rehman said the Indus Waters Treaty remained in force under international law, adding that Pakistan would continue to pursue its rights through international legal mechanisms while advocating cooperation and the peaceful management of shared water resources.

Islamabad: The Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has approved the proposed subscription of additional ordinary shares of Loads Limited by Treet Corporation Limited following a Phase-I review conducted under the Competition Act, 2010.

Treet Corporation Limited submitted a pre-merger application to the Commission under Section 11 of the Competition Act, 2010, seeking approval to subscribe to additional ordinary shares of Loads Limited through a rights issue.

Treet Corporation Limited is a public listed company engaged in the manufacturing and sale of razors and razor blades, while its subsidiaries operate in diverse sectors including batteries, corrugated boxes, soaps, medicinal concentrates, electric bikes, rickshaws and workforce solutions. Loads Limited is also a public listed company and is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of radiators, exhaust systems and metal sheet components for Pakistan’s automotive industry.

During its review, the Commission identified the relevant product markets as exhaust systems, radiators, and metal sheet components, with the relevant geographic market being Pakistan.

The Commission observed that Treet Corporation and Loads Limited are already associated undertakings, with common management representation. The proposed transaction involves Treet increasing its shareholding in Loads Limited through a rights issue and represents a purely equity investment between associated undertakings.

The competition assessment found that the transaction would not alter the market shares of the parties or affect competition in the relevant markets. The Commission further concluded that the proposed subscription would neither create barriers to market entry nor significantly enhance the market power of the merger parties. Consequently, the transaction is not likely to result in any adverse effects on competition or lead to a substantial lessening of competition in the relevant market.

Accordingly, the Commission concluded that the proposed transaction does not create or strengthen a dominant position within the meaning of the Competition Act, 2010 and authorized the transaction under Section 31(1)(d)(i) of the Act.

The approval reflects the CCP’s continued commitment to facilitating legitimate corporate restructuring and investment through timely merger reviews while ensuring that market competition, efficiency and consumer welfare remain protected.