Category: Islamabad

London: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Thursday visited British International Investment (BII), a financial institution, and discussed ways and means to boost economic ties under the URAAN PAKISTAN framework.

Update arrival, he was received by Holger Rothenbusch, Managing Director and Head of Infrastructure and Climate; Saad ul Islam, Investment Director, Infrastructure Equity; and Habib Yousaf, Regional Director, South Asia, a news release said.

During the visit, the minister held extensive discussions on mobilizing private sector participation to stimulate economic activity under the URAAN PAKISTAN initiative.

He highlighted the strategic role of the BII in driving investments across key sectors, particularly infrastructure and climate resilience.

Emphasizing the need to leverage Pakistan's Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), he underscored the platform's significance in attracting and facilitating both domestic and international investors.

Ahsan Iqbal walked the BII leadership through the 5Es Framework of URAAN PAKISTAN, which focuses on Exports,

E-Pakistan, Environment (mitigating risks of climate change, food security, and water security), Energy (eliminating losses and transitioning towards clean energy), and Ethics, Equity, and Empowerment.

He highlighted Pakistan's young and dynamic workforce as a key asset, positioning the country as an attractive destination for industries seeking cost-effective alternatives amid rising global labor costs.

He further emphasized that structural reforms were embedded within URAAN PAKISTAN's agenda to ensure the effective implementation of the 5Es Framework.

He noted that key reforms in energy pricing, supply chain optimization, and tax administration were already contributing to macroeconomic stability, with Pakistan showing signs of economic recovery.

The minister also reaffirmed that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has regained momentum and entered Phase 2.0, creating significant opportunities for local and

international businesses to become part of Pakistan's growth trajectory.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening investment collaboration between Pakistan and British International Investment, reinforcing the country's position as a promising destination for global investors.

Islamabad:As part of its Empowerment and Engagement Strategy, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has dedicated a page 'Athletes' Corner' for athletes with a wide range of useful information on it's website.

The page includes a wide range of useful information for athletes on topics such as athlete welfare, mental health, career development, safeguarding, anti-doping, prevention of match manipulation, statistics, access to photos and a link to Athlete365, the official community for elite Athletes and Olympians, said a press release.

An introduction to the FIH Athletes Committee is also available. It reflects FIH's ongoing commitment to supporting athletes, ensuring they have the tools needed to succeed and thrive.

FIH President Tayyab Ikram said, 'Athletes are at the centre of everything FIH does. Not only do we have to provide them with the best playing field for them to excel on the pitch, but we also have a duty to support them off the pitch and listen to their challenges, concerns and ideas.

The Athletes' Corner portal has been tailored for this, precisely. I can only encourage all athletes to make full use of this relevant resource and to initiate constructive feedback and debate that will help us in our permanent quest to grow the game.'

The portal will be continuously enriched with new content and will urge athletes to express their opinions in order to make it a very interactive platform. It is a major tool to empower and engage with athletes the way forward.

Islamabad:The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Thursday took stern notice of LPG bowser explosion in Multan which claimed 8 precious lives and inflicted minor and major injuries on 38 individuals.

Chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan, the meeting was told by the Chairman OGRA that the mafia involved in LPG theft replaces LPG with CO2 for hefty returns. The LPG cost around Rs. 250,000 per ton as compared to the low cost CO2 cost around Rs. 30,000 per ton. The LPG carriers mixed the LPG with the CO2 at some unidentified places after filling bowsers from refinery, the Chairman OGRA added.

The City Police Officer (CPO0 Multan informed that four culprits involved in this heinous act has been arrested and FIR has been registered under the anti terrorism act. However, a similar incident occurred in Dera Ghazi Khan, resulting in no loss of human life, he added.

Senator Farooq H. Naek lamented the authorities, stating that 171 cases have been registered in January alone, reflecting the inefficiency of civil administration.

Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Niazi inquired about the existing number of bowsers and the companies associated with the LPG business.

The Chairman OGRA replied that 3,00 companies associated with the LPG,and as of now, 2,000 registered bowsers in the country. Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee suggested that OGRA should make guidelines for LPG operators restricting them from stopping at unidentified places.

The Committee formed a Sub-Committee to probe the hazardous mixing of LPG with CO2 and directed OGRA in formulating SOPs for the prevention of this menace in the future.

Furthermore, the Committee was briefed by the Chairman Naya Pakistan Housing and Development Authority (NAPHDA) on its working and Performance during the last three years. Chairman NAPHDA informed that the authority was created with a vision to make affordable housing for the needy,and in the last 62 years, the authority has constructed 59,500 homes in various locations across the country mainly Sargodha,Chiniot,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,ICT and Lahore, with the collaboration of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The authority construct 3.5 marla homes with the minimal cost of 2.7 Million and also facilitate loans to land owners wiling to build homes for themselves.

The Committee inquired whether the homes completed by NAPHDA had been delivered. Chairman NAPHA replied that the homes made in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been delivered. However, the homes completed in Sargodha and Chiniot couldn't be delivered due to insufficient disbursement of funds from Finance Ministry. The Committee decided to call upon the Finance Ministry in the next meeting for the immediate delivery of homes to avoid deterioration.

Senator Farooq Hamid Naek inquired about any existing collaboration with Sindh and Baluchistan province.

The Chairman NAPHDA stated that both provinces have not extended any cooperation despite several attempts to contact them. The Committee decided to call upon the Chief Secretaries of both the Provinces for probable collaboration between the Provinces and NAPHDA.

While discussing the performance of National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority, the Chairman NSDRA said that the Authority was created in November last year with a purpose to establish quality and eco-friendly seeds for agriculture boast. He further told that the Board of the Authority comprises of Federal Minister, four farmers and experts plus the provincial secretaries of agriculture departments. However, the TORs of the Authority has been approved by the Federal Government. The Committee recommended that members of Parliament should be made part of Board to bring inclusivity in it, he added.

The meeting was attended by Senators Saadia Abbasi, Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Farooq Hamid Khan, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Saleem Mandviwalla, Amir Waliuddin Chisti and Chairman OGRA Masroor Khan along with other senior officials of relevant Departments.

Islamabad:Federal Minister for Communications, Privatization and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan along with a high-level delegation held talks with Minister for Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In the meeting, it was decided that delegation from Azerbaijan will visit Pakistan in February to review feasibility and other opportunities for investment in Pakistan especially in the projects of Motorways M-6 and M-9 Sukkur, Hyderabad, Karachi, said a press release issued here Thursday.

Furthermore, options for business-to-business and government-to-government collaboration for the construction of highways between Pakistan and Azerbaijan were also considered in the meeting. The federal minister called on the Minister of Transport of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev and said that it was imperative to improve the means of transportation from Pakistan to the Central Asian States and especially both countries Pakistan and Azerbaijan can make significant progress in this regard.

The minister said that there was considerable scope for bilateral cooperation in the field of communications to improve logistics. He added that there were historical, religious and deep friendly ties between Azerbaijan and Pakistan which need to be further strengthened.

Azerbaijani Minister Rashad Nabiyev said that his country was looking for significant progress in bilateral cooperation and investment with Pakistan and the visit of this delegation led by Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan will bring positive progress in this regard. The meeting also discussed matters of mutual investment between the two countries under Public-Private Partnership.

In this meeting, the Chairman of the National Highway Authority gave a briefing on the projects of M-6 and M-9 Motorways while negotiations were held with Azerbaijani officials on mutual partnership with Pakistan on rail, road and other means of communications.

Coordinator of SIFC Lt. Gen. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Federal Secretary Petroleum Momin Ali Agha were also present from Pakistan in the meeting of with high level delegation. It is worth mentioning that Federal Minister for Communications, Privatization and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan has arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan today where he is expected to hold meetings with other Ministers and key Government officials, as well.

Islamabad:Pakistan on Thursday reiterated that it had sufficient proof of terrorist groups in Afghanistan using the US left-behind weapons for terrorist activities on its soil, reminding the Kabul administration of its responsibility to act against such groups.

Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, at his weekly press briefing, told the media that Pakistan had repeatedly conveyed its concerns to the Afghan government and also provided evidence.

About the boat capsizing incident in Morocco, he said the foreign ministry was coordinating the repatriation of 22 Pakistani survivors. After "thorough investigations" the said individuals would be returned to Pakistan in batches as the first batch had already arrived via two flights in Islamabad on the day.

The spokesperson said that the Pakistan Embassy in Rabat was in close coordination with Moroccan authorities to oversee the relief efforts and finalize the complex repatriation process.

He extended condolences and sympathies to the victims and families of those affected by the recent attack on a Saudi hospital in El Fasher, calling its a clear violation of international law.

"Pakistan believes that the conflict can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. We express our full support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Sudan."

He categorically rejected the baseless and unfounded allegations aimed at targeting the Pakistan-China friendship.

"We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the foundational principle of the One China Policy, which is a consistent cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy and remains unchanged."

Spokesperson Shafqat Khan told the newsmen that Pakistan was set to host AMAN 25, the 9th edition of the multinational AMAN exercise, from February 7 to 11.

A key feature of this year's exercise will be the Aman Dialogue, where Chiefs of Naval Forces, Heads of Coast Guards, and senior leaders from around the world will convene to discuss regional maritime security and devise joint strategies to counter evolving maritime threats, he added.

"Around 60 countries will participate in AMAN 25, contributing ships, aircraft, Special Operations Forces, explosive ordnance disposal teams, marines, and observers. Delegations from across the globe will also attend the international dialogue."

To a question, the spokesperson said that Pakistan had taken note of US President Donald Trump's decision to halt aid for 90 days and expressed hope for its resumption as the USAID was working on multiple projects in Pakistan in multiple sectors including energy, health, narcotics control and others.

About the visit of US "reputed businessmen" to Pakistan, he said the foreign ministry was not processing it, though such visits were a regular feature of bilateral relations.

He said that the confiscation of properties was an ugly facet of the Indian authorities' campaign to crush dissent in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). As part of this campaign, assets of 11 individuals were seized in Kishtwar district, a few days ago.

The ongoing campaign to victimize the dissenters and intimidate the Kashmiri people must stop. India must also allow the people of IIOJK to freely exercise their right to self determination, as enshrined in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

He also lamented the Indian government's decision to confer the award on Sadhvi Ritambhara, who faced criminal charges for facilitating the destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992, and called it another indicator of the dangerous turn in the Indian polity.

To another question, he said a total of 770 Pakistani nationals were imprisoned in Indian jails on varying charges.

The spokesperson termed the US president's suggestion of displacing Palestinians to Egypt and Jordan "troubling and unjust" and reiterated Pakistan's stance of a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al Sharif as its capital.

He condemned the Israeli withdrawal from 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA and its efforts to hamper UNRWA's ability to fulfill its mandate of providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza valley.

"This ban would lead to further instability and worsening of humanitarian situation in Gaza as the region and its people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance and support."

The spokesperson also condemned the continued Israeli aggression in West Bank and called on the international community to break its silence on continuous acts of brutality by Israel against innocent Palestinians.

He told the media that bilateral political consultations would be held between Pakistan and Serbia on January 31; Pakistan and Uzbekistan on February 4-5; and Pakistan and Qatar on February 5. The Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will lead the Pakistan delegation in the BPS and will also interact with the Qatari leadership.

Islamabad:Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday paid a heartfelt tribute to Major Hamza Israr and Soldier Muhammad Naeem, who embraced martyrdom while bravely confronting extremist terrorists in North Waziristan.

The security forces successfully neutralized six terrorists in the operation, dealing a major blow to their nefarious plans.

Naqvi acknowledged the supreme sacrifice of the fallen soldiers, stating, "Major Hamza Israr and Soldier Muhammad Naeem laid down their lives for the peace of our homeland. Their bravery is a source of immense pride for the entire nation."

He further emphasized that the sacrifices made by security personnel in the fight against terrorism would never be forgotten. "The entire nation salutes the great sacrifice of our martyrs. These brave sons of the soil have become immortal by giving their lives for the country," he said.

Expressing solidarity with the families of the martyrs, Naqvi assured them of the nation's unwavering support. "We stand with the families of the martyrs in this difficult time," he stated.

He also commended the security forces for eliminating six terrorists in the operation. "The security forces have once again proven their commitment by thwarting the evil designs of extremist terrorists. The nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its defenders," Naqvi remarked.

Pakistan's security forces continue their relentless efforts to root out terrorism, ensuring peace and stability in the region. The sacrifices of heroes like Major Hamza Israr and Soldier Muhammad Naeem will forever be remembered in the annals of history.