Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to international cooperation on digital transformation.

On the sidelines of Geneva Digital Week and the United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance, the minister participated in a series of ministerial-level engagements with senior government officials and United Nations leaders.

According to a news release received here on Tuesday, the minister held bilateral meetings with Amandeep Singh Gill, UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies; Guy Ryder, UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy; Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of Kazakhstan; Mahmoud Badawi, Egypt’s Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation; Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Adviser to the President of Sri Lanka on the Digital Economy; and Krzysztof Gawkowski, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland.

The meetings focused on expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including artificial intelligence (AI), digital governance, digital public infrastructure, AI sovereignty, cybersecurity, innovation ecosystems, and cross-border technology partnerships.

The discussions also underscored the importance of collaborative policymaking to ensure that digital technologies contribute to inclusive economic growth and sustainable development.

Pakistan continues to actively engage with international partners to exchange best practices, strengthen institutional collaboration, and develop forward-looking policies aimed at positioning the country as a responsible and competitive player in the global digital economy.

The minister also expressed its appreciation to the United Nations for Digital and Emerging Technologies for convening an exceptional edition of Geneva Digital Week.

The event provided a valuable platform for ministers, policymakers, representatives of multilateral institutions, and technology leaders to advance global dialogue and forge partnerships that will help shape the future of digital transformation.

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday strongly condemned the attack by Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists on a police check post in Ziarat.

In a statement, the prime minister paid tribute to the police personnel, including SHOs, who were martyred in the attack.

He prayed for the elevation of the martyrs’ ranks in Jannah and for patience and strength for their bereaved families.

The prime minister also commended the security forces for killing 15 terrorists during a clearance operation.

The prime minister said that the attack by Fitna al-Khawarij once again demonstrated that the group was an enemy of the people’s prosperity and of peace and development in Balochistan.

He emphasized that the sacrifices of the martyrs would not go in vain and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.

The prime minister also reaffirmed the government’s resolve not to allow anyone to undermine peace in the province.

“The war against terrorists will continue until the complete elimination of these enemies of peace,” he said.

Islamabad: The prices of gold witnessed a decline in the local market on Tuesday, with the price of 24-karat gold per tola decreasing by Rs2,500 to settle at Rs434,936, according to rates issued by the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association.

Similarly, the price of 10 grams of 24-karat gold fell by Rs2,143 to Rs372,887, while the price of 10 grams of 22-karat gold declined by Rs1,965 to Rs341,825.

In the international market, the price of gold dropped by $25 to settle at $4,125 per ounce.

Meanwhile, the price of silver per tola decreased by Rs120 to Rs6,559, while the price of 10 grams of silver went down by Rs103 to Rs5,623.

The price of silver in the international market also declined by $1.20 to $60.80 per ounce, the association reported.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja on Monday held bilateral meetings with officials from Sri Lanka and Egypt on the sidelines of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva.

During her meeting with Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Adviser to the President of Sri Lanka on the Digital Economy, the two sides discussed promoting the digital economy and e-governance.

The meeting also featured detailed discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) sovereignty.

Pakistan’s IT exports to Sri Lanka stood at US$424,000 in fiscal year 2025.

Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the IT sector and share best practices.

Meanwhile, Shaza Fatima also held a bilateral meeting with Eng. Mahmoud Badawi, Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

During the meeting, the Pakistani and Egyptian delegations agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of information technology, telecommunications, and digital governance, according to a news release.

Shaza Fatima and Mahmoud Badawi also held discussions on the sidelines of the United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar Monday chaired the 4th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Follow-up Committee which reviewed preparations for Pakistan’s upcoming SCO CHS Chairmanship (Sept. 2026-27) and the CHS Summit to be hosted in Islamabad in 2027.

Sub-committees briefed the meeting on progress regarding the venue, accommodation, security, finance, media management, transport and logistics for delegations visiting for the SCO CHS Summit.

The DPM/FM directed the concerned heads of the sub-committees to expedite the work. He further emphasised to the chairmen of the sub-committees the need to actively pursue and implement the decisions of this forum. He reiterated the importance of this event and urged everyone to take it as a national task.

The meeting was attended by SAPM Tariq Bajwa, the Federal Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Cabinet, Defence and Interior, as well as the Chief Commissioner and IG Islamabad, along with senior officials from the relevant departments.

Islamabad: Former Speaker, National Assembly, Asad Qaisar, on Monday called on Chairman Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani at Parliament House.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed a range of issues, with particular focus on matters relating to the tobacco industry in District Swabi. Senator Dilawar Khan was also present in the meeting, said a news release issued here.

Raza Gilani assured the delegation that the matters highlighted during the meeting would be referred to the Senate Standing Committee on Finance for consideration.

He noted that the region was renowned for producing high-quality tobacco and emphasised that every possible effort would be made to address the challenges being faced by tobacco growers and to safeguard their economic interests.

The delegation thanked the Chairman, Senate, for his support, cooperation, and commitment to addressing the concerns of the farming community.