Category: Islamabad

Islamabad: Dr Mohsin Hafeez, Global Director for Water, Food and Ecosystems at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), has said that harvesting just 25 percent of annual rainfall can significantly reduce groundwater depletion and help control urban flooding in Islamabad.

In an interveiw with reporter, he said IWMI had demonstrated an innovative groundwater recharge model at Kachnar Park, Sector I-8 in the federal capital that stored over 566,000 litres of rainwater at a single site during the last four years while improving groundwater levels and quality.

He said the pilot project was established at a flood-prone site where rainwater from a nearby parade ground regularly inundated the surrounding area during the monsoon. A small recharge pond was constructed to capture runoff, which passes through natural filtration layers of sand and stones before seeping into the aquifer.

Dr Hafeez said the site was equipped with a real-time rain gauge, water flow monitoring instruments and groundwater monitoring sensors, enabling researchers to generate scientific evidence on groundwater recharge and water quality for the first time in Islamabad.

He said monitoring data collected since June 2022 showed the project had recharged more than 566,000 litres of water and raised the local groundwater table by about 4.5 mm without compromising groundwater quality.

Encouraged by the results, he said, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) approved 100 groundwater recharge sites across Islamabad in 2024 before expanding the initiative with another 100 sites. Around 200 recharge sites are now operational in different parts of the city.

He said the initiative had not only improved groundwater recharge but also reduced rainwater flooding and eased pressure on stormwater drainage channels.

Dr Hafeez said residents living near the recharge sites had reported less flooding during the monsoon season and improved water availability from household boreholes, enabling them to access groundwater for longer periods each day.

He said IWMI’s research indicated that harvesting one-fourth of the city’s annual rainfall would be sufficient to stabilise groundwater depletion in Islamabad.

The IWMI official said the project’s success had also influenced public policy. CDA had incorporated groundwater availability assessments into its by-laws, making them mandatory before approving new housing schemes.

He said the institute, in collaboration with the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) and other stakeholders, also contributed to the development of Green Building Codes requiring rainwater harvesting systems in new buildings.

Dr Hafeez said that The Federal Cabinet, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the Green Building Code of Pakistan and the Rainwater Harvesting Provisions for the Building Code on July 30, 2025. The Pakistan Engineering Council(PEC) formally launched these codes on December 23, 2025, paving the way for their wider adoption and implementation to promote sustainable construction practices, including rainwater harvesting, across Pakistan.

He said the pilot project cost only about US$15,000, demonstrating that relatively small investments could produce substantial environmental and community benefits.

“We don’t conduct research for the sake of research. We generate evidence that helps shape policy and improve people’s livelihoods through practical, climate-resilient solutions,” he concluded.

Islamabad: Lucky Investments Limited (“Lucky Investments”) has announced the launch of the Lucky Islamic Dividend Yield Fund (LIDYF), an open-end Shariah-compliant equity fund designed to provide investors with competitive Halal returns through investments in dividend-yielding Shariah-compliant listed equities, while offering the potential for long-term capital appreciation.

The fund has been designed to meet the growing demand for Shariah-compliant equity investments that generate sustainable dividend income under the guidance of professional portfolio managers and using prudent risk oversight.

It’s primarily invests in high dividend-paying Shariah-compliant listed companies, aiming to deliver consistent income alongside long-term wealth creation.

The launch further strengthened Lucky Investments’ expanding portfolio of Islamic investment solutions, offering investors a wider range of products tailored to different financial goals and risk profiles.

With the introduction of LIDYF, the company now offered a comprehensive suite of Islamic mutual funds and pension funds covering liquidity management, fixed-term investments, regular income, equity growth, energy sector exposure, retirement planning, and dividend-focused investing.

Commenting on the launch, Mohammad Shoaib, CFA, Chief Executive Officer of Lucky Investments Limited, said, “Lucky Islamic Dividend Yield Fund reflects our commitment to provide investors with innovative, professionally managed Shariah-compliant investment solutions. Dividend-paying equities have historically played an important role in long-term wealth creation, and this Fund enables investors to participate in quality businesses while seeking regular Halal income and capital appreciation through a disciplined investment approach.”

The fund is particularly suited for investors seeking long-term capital growth, consistent dividend income, and enhanced portfolio diversification through investments in high-quality Shariah-compliant listed equities. Investors could conveniently subscribe through Lucky Investments’ nationwide network, digital investor portal, the Lucky Funds mobile application, and the Company’s authorised distribution partners.

Islamabad: Pakistan Railways has finalized its inquiry into two major train accidents from March 2026, attributing them to human error and technical failures. Departmental action has been initiated against nine employees: six held responsible for the Shalimar Express collision (including a station master and head train examiner) and three for the Tezgam Express derailment.

According to an official report presented to the National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways, out of 135 train accidents recorded in a year, 35% occurred at unmanned crossings, while 34 incidents were caused by defective tracks.

The probe revealed that the collision between the Shalimar Express and a container freight train at Mehrabpur was caused by gross driver negligence. The driver overshot a stop signal and failed to brake in time, ramming into a stationary cargo train on the loop line. The crash killed one railway employee and derailed the locomotive, two passenger coaches, and three freight wagons.Authorities directly blamed driver Fayyaz Muhammad, assistant driver Asif Saeed, senior train examiners Asif Hussain and Waliullah Khan, and head train examiner Imran Nisar, while Station Master Asadullah was held indirectly responsible.

The second major accident, involving the Tezgam Express on the Lodhran-Bahawalpur section, resulted from negligent technical monitoring. A technical fault in the dining car’s front trolley caused eight coaches to derail, blocking both tracks and injuring multiple passengers.For fitness-monitoring lapses, disciplinary action has been launched against TXR Lahore Saqib Ghafoor and TXR Multan Minhas Anwar for direct negligence, and Head TXR

Secretary Pakistan Railways Mazhar Ali Shah briefed the committee that while 35,000 to 38,000 trains run annually maintaining a low overall accident rate of 0.02% a critical 35% of mishaps happen at unmanned crossings. He noted that trains operate between 65 to 110 km/h, and the administration is maintaining infrastructure using existing workforce despite limited resources.

Consolidated annual data showed that defective tracks were the leading cause of accidents with 34 incidents, followed closely by staff negligence (32), rolling stock defects (30), sabotage (10), and natural disasters. The committee was assured that emergency measures are underway to curb these occurrences.

Islamabad: An international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) held in Islamabad on June 30 has marked an extraordinary milestone in Pakistan’s legal, diplomatic, and media strategy.

This first-of-its-kind international gathering successfully catapulted the IWT back into the global spotlight, highlighting Pakistan’s stance that the unilateral suspension or modification of international treaties aligns neither with international law nor the spirit of the international system.

The event proved that Pakistan has effectively shifted the narrative, transforming an issue that India sought to treat as a closed, silent bilateral file into a central topic of global diplomatic dialogue.

The strategic seminar was not merely an academic or policy debate, but a calculated diplomatic initiative designed to elevate the treaty into a broader international discourse centered on treaty obligations, lower riparian rights, water security, and regional stability.

Pakistan effectively framed the IWT not as a simple administrative arrangement between two states, but as a binding international legal obligation affecting regional peace and the water security of millions of people.

Pakistan brought its long-standing legal case, which is permanently recorded at the United Nations Security Council and the Court of Arbitration, directly to the forefront of global public opinion.

The core measure of the seminar’s success was its immense international resonance and its ability to shape the global agenda.

Within hours of the event, global newspapers, news agencies, and policy platforms prominently reported on Pakistan’s legal stance.

Prestigious international print and news agencies, including The Washington Post, Associated Press, The Independent, Arab News, TRT World, BBC Hindi, The Discourse, and The Eastern Herald, published analytical articles and news reports detailing the sanctity of the treaty, lower riparian rights, and regional stability.

While India uses the term “suspension,” the international press focused heavily on international law and treaty compliance, achieving editorial space in Washington, London, Riyadh, and Hong Kong on the exact same day.

Concurrently, the event gained overwhelming traction across India’s top-tier media landscapes, proving that New Delhi could not ignore Islamabad’s narrative.

Major Indian print and digital outlets-including The Hindu, India Today, NDTV, Times of India, Hindustan Times, Navbharat Times, Dainik Jagran, News9, India Herald, MSN India, Deccan Herald, and The Economic Times-provided extensive coverage.

Indian electronic media and YouTube channels, such as ANI, Times Now, CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNN-News18, and News18 India, aired broadcast packages, dedicating unprecedented prime-time coverage to the event.

This massive media mobilization revealed a striking disparity in narratives: while global media focused on legal tenets and the principles of international law, the bulk of Indian media avoided the core legal debate, resorting instead to emotional quotes, political reactions, and a framework of fear and anxiety.

However, the Press Trust of India (PTI) stood out as a notable exception by providing straight news reporting without aggressive angles.

The diplomatic impact was fully solidified when the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued an official denial within 72 hours of the seminar.

This rapid response from New Delhi, coupled with its massive media panic, serves as definitive proof of the seminar’s effectiveness.

Ultimately, the seminar demonstrated that Pakistan’s arguments are no longer just Islamabad’s voice, but are now a permanent part of the global policy discourse, leaving India to search for counterarguments in its TV studios.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday formally launched the E-Appeal Management System (EAMS) Public Interface Management Dashboard and video-link facility for e-hearings of cases in the Federal Service Tribunal (FST), marking a significant step in the government’s judicial reform agenda aimed at improving access to justice, enhancing transparency, and modernizing judicial administration.

Developed by the Development Wing of the Ministry of Law and Justice under the leadership of Justice (R) Rooh-ul-Amin Khan, Chairman of the Federal Service Tribunal, the web-based EAMS has been deployed across all FST benches nationwide.

The system provides end-to-end digital management of appeals, from registration to disposal, while offering litigants, lawyers, and court officials faster and more convenient access to case-related information through an online dashboard.

The system also introduces video-link facilities connecting the Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Karachi benches, enabling virtual proceedings where appropriate. Officials said the initiative is expected to reduce delays caused by travel, improve the utilization of court time, and lower administrative and logistical costs.

Addressing the launch ceremony, Senator Tarar said the government remained committed to strengthening the justice sector through the adoption of modern technology. He said the digital transformation of the Federal Service Tribunal would improve service delivery, reduce delays in judicial proceedings, and make the justice system more transparent, efficient, and citizen-centric.

The launch ceremony was attended by members of the Federal Service Tribunal, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice, deputy and assistant attorneys general, members of the legal fraternity, and officials from various ministries, divisions, and government departments. Tribunal camp offices were connected through video link, while lawyers from Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar also participated remotely.

During the event, Muhammad Javed, Director of the Planning and Development Wing, Ministry of Law and Justice, presented the key features of the EAMS, highlighting its role in ensuring end-to-end digital management of appeals, improving transparency, enhancing procedural efficiency, and facilitating the timely disposal of cases.

He said the initiative reflects the tribunal’s commitment to modernizing judicial administration through the effective use of information technology for the benefit of litigants and the legal community.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Monday expressed deep grief over the martyrdom of Group Captain Asim Tariq, who lost his life on Sunday while trying to protect an innocent woman here.

The president, in a statement, said that sacrificing one’s life to protect an innocent woman was a bright example of high human values and national service.

He extended his condolences to the family of the martyred Group Captain Asim Tariq and prayed for strength to them to bear the loss.

The president said that such an incident on a main avenue in Islamabad was a matter of concern, stressing the need to ensure the complete eradication of such crimes.