Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Islamabad on an official visit early Wednesday morning to hold discussions on bilateral issues, the Foreign Office said in a statement.
A day ago, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had announced that Fidan, along with Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler, will visit Pakistan on July 9. Fidan also paid a visit to Pakistan in May last year.
“During his official engagements in Pakistan, all important issues of mutual interest will be discussed,” the Foreign Office said in a post on X. “The visit reflects the close and brotherly ties between Pakistan and Turkiye, rooted in shared history, culture, and mutual trust.”
It added that upon their arrival, the visiting dignitaries were received by Pakistan’s Additional Secretary for West Asia, Ambassador Syed Ali Asad Gillani.
Pakistan and Turkiye enjoy strong bilateral ties built on shared cultural, religious, and historical bonds, as well as mutual respect.
On Tuesday, Pakistan had extended condolences to Turkiye after 12 Turkish soldiers died of methane exposure in Iraq during a search mission in the Claw-Lock Operation zone a day earlier.
Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) summit in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, to reaffirm their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.
The two leaders discussed deepening cooperation in key areas, including trade, energy, defence, connectivity and investment. PM Shehbaz reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to working closely with Turkiye to promote peace, stability and sustainable development in the region.
In February, President Erdogan also visited Pakistan, during which both nations pledged to ensure bilateral trade worth $5bn.
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) is expected to meet on July 12 to consider a number of pending complaints against different judges of the superior judiciary.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has called the SJC meeting to consider around two dozen pending complaints against superior court judges and a set of recommendations to streamline the process of handling complaints and ensure transparency while probing allegations of misconduct against judges.
The recommendations were prepared by Justice Munib Akhtar, also an SJC member.
The SC, through an announcement on the completion of the first 100 days of CJP Afridi in office, had explained the SJC had examined 46 complaints against constitutional officeholders and 40 of them have been disposed of. In five complaints, comments have been sought while further information was asked for in another case.
In one of the SJC sittings, it was decided regular sessions would be held every month in order to clear the backlog of outstanding complaints against superior court judges on a fast track.
Also, the SJC in its July 12 meeting is expected to resume consideration of a letter by six judges alleging interference by intelligence agencies in judicial affairs and calling for a thorough investigation. The letter was sent by six judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 25, 2024.
The SJC, at a previous session while considering different options concerning the letter, agreed to expand consultations, noting that the code of conduct of judges also applies to the heads of different institutions.
The letter had earlier prompted the then CJP Qazi Faez Isa to initiate suo motu proceedings after ex-CJP Tassaduq Jillani declined to lead a one-man commission to investigate the alleged meddling in judicial affairs. CJP Afridi, before assuming the top office, had recused himself from hearing the suo motu case, arguing that “inaction by IHC chief justice or judges” should not drag the Supreme Court into imposing its jurisdiction under Article 184(3) of the Constitution.
“This may affect the functioning of the worthy [IHC] chief justice and judges in their discharge of judicial functions and would amount to interference in the independence of the high courts,” Justice Afridi had suggested at the time.
The weekend meeting of the council will also be attended by senior puisine judge of the Supreme Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and Sindh High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Junaid Ghaffar.
According to an announcement, the SJC is actively considering amendments to its code of conduct and procedure of enquiry. The SJC had appointed Justice Munib Akhtar as head of a committee to propose amendments to the code of conduct.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday asked the relevant authorities to present a comprehensive action plan to boost agricultural production and introduce agriculture reforms in the country.
He was chairing a review meeting on the performance of the agriculture sector and ongoing reforms.
“Improving agricultural productivity, value addition, and increasing exports of agricultural products are top priorities of the government,” the prime minister said.
He directed that a comprehensive short- and long-term action plan be presented for modern agricultural machinery, quality seeds, geographical planning of crops, and provision of easy loans to farmers.
To enhance per-acre crop yield, the prime minister directed that agricultural research centers be made more effective.
He further directed that modern research be ensured through public-private partnerships in agricultural research centers.
The prime minister emphasized that the government should benefit from internationally renowned experts for the effective use of artificial intelligence and modern technology in agriculture.
During the briefing, the meeting was told about the production of major Rabi and Kharif crops from the previous year, challenges faced by farmers, the proposed future roadmap, and suggestions for improvements.
The meeting was also briefed about the progress on the implementation of government reforms, and the impact of climate change on agriculture.
Industrialists and business leaders
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday held a high-level meeting with top industrialists and business leaders from key sectors of the economy, reaffirming his government’s commitment to economic stability, export-led growth, and private sector facilitation.
During the interactive session, business leaders lauded the prime minister’s leadership and his economic team’s persistent efforts in stabilizing the country’s financial outlook, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said.
They particularly commended the government for successfully concluding a critical IMF agreement and introducing a pro-business budget aimed at ease of doing business.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed the participants and underscored the importance of collaborative policy-making. “The credit for economic stabilization goes to the tireless efforts of our team,” he said, adding, “Our next objective is to steer Pakistan toward sustained growth, enhance exports, create jobs, and attract foreign investment.”
He emphasized that future development would be driven by domestic resource mobilization, reducing dependency, and making Pakistan economically self-reliant. “The suggestions of the business community are vital for shaping policies that serve the national interest,” he noted.
The Prime Minister announced that he would hold monthly meetings with the business community to ensure regular consultation and collective ownership of economic reforms. “We will consult private sector experts across every domain. This long journey of progress demands mutual effort and determination,” he stated.
The industrialists acknowledged the government’s budget as business-friendly and aligned with industry needs. They appreciated ongoing reforms in taxation and customs clearance systems, particularly improvements in FBR’s digitalization and transparency at ports.
They also stressed the need for enhanced facilitation for exporters and investors, as well as policy alignment with the needs of businesses and industries to boost foreign direct investment.
The federal cabinet has approved the import of 500,000 metric tons of sugar, waiving 53% in import taxes to offset the negative impact of its earlier decision to allow sugar exports despite objections from the finance ministry.
The cabinet waived all the duties and taxes on the import of sugar, which has also made the Ministry of Finance jittery, according to the Finance Ministry sources.
The decision to waive taxes by overruling the finance Ministry was first taken during a meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, according to the ministry sources. The cabinet subsequently vetted the summary moved by the Ministry of National Food Security.
The cabinet took the decision without discussing the matter as a regular agenda item and instead approved it through the circulation of the summary. The rules allow the disposal of cases through circulation.
Due to food emergency, the federal cabinet has allowed the import of 500,000 metric tons of sugar to stabilize local prices with immediate effect, said Rana Tanveer Hussain, the Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research while talking to The Express Tribune.
Rana Tanveer said that the central bank will provide the cash line to the Trading Corporation of Pakistan for the import of sugar.
The development came on the heels of rising sugar price that according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics were recorded at Rs196 per kilogram last week. The prices were at Rs138 per kg before the sugar export.
Without waving off taxes and duties, the landed price of sugar had been estimated at Rs245 per kilogram. After exempting these taxes, the landed price is estimated at Rs153 per kg, excluding freight prices.
During the last meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet the Finance Secretary had refused to waive off taxes or give subsidies. This time the government did not bring the summary in the ECC and got it directly approved from the federal cabinet.
The government’s decision to earlier allow the export of 765,000 metric tons of sugar is said to be the main reason for the price hike from Rs138 to Rs196 per kg. However, the food minister said that the situation emerged after one million tons of low production of sugar due to climate change, which impacted the crop yield this year.
“The cabinet considered a summary dated 4th July 2025, submitted by the National Food Security and Research Division, which was circulated, for import of white crystalline sugar to ensure food security and stabilize the sugar prices and approved the proposal” according to the cabinet decision.
The cabinet approved the import of sugar by waiving off all applicable taxes, which stand at 53%, excluding provincial excise duty. The federal cabinet exempted 18% sales tax, 3% additional sales tax, 6% income tax, 20% custom duty and 6% additional custom duty.
The Information Minister Attaullah Tarar did not respond to a question whether the cabinet approved the tax exemptions.
Finance Ministry alarmed
The sources said that the Finance Ministry has agitated the cabinet’s decision and informed the Prime Minister’s Office that it could impact Pakistan’s international commitments.
Pakistan has also given international commitments that it would not procure agriculture commodities, according to the Finance Ministry officials. They have cautioned to the PM’s Office that the implementation of the cabinet’s decision may create problems to meet international commitments.
A cabinet minister on condition of anonymity said that the taxes have been waived off by invoking the food emergency, thus, the decision should not go against any international commitments.
The Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb did not respond to questions whether the ministry took up the matter of tax waivers with Prime Minister’s Office.
In a press statement, the Ministry of National Food Security said that all necessary arrangements for the sugar import initiative have been completed, and immediate implementation is already underway.
The ministry highlighted that the current government had earlier permitted sugar exports when there was ample domestic supply, demonstrating a balanced policy to manage market dynamics. Now, by approving sugar imports, the administration aims to keep prices steady and protect consumers from sudden hikes.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the country exported 765,734 metric tons of sugar between July and May of last fiscal year, earning Rs114 billion. This marks a 2,200% increase in sugar exports compared to the same period last year.
Exporting first and then deciding to import has sparked concerns over the government’s contradictory policies and the disadvantageous position imposed on consumers. After exports, domestic sugar prices hit a record Rs190 per kilogram – Rs58 higher than the pre-export price.
In March, the government had fixed the retail price of sugar at Rs164 per kilogram – 13% higher than the cap set during the export approval period – allowing millers to enjoy windfall gains in both local and export markets.
The government had negotiated the ex-factory and retail prices of sugar with the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA), which has previously been accused of cartel-like behaviour by the nation’s antitrust watchdog – the Competition Commission of Pakistan. Despite the agreed rates, the government failed to ensure stable retail prices.
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday annulled the distribution of reserved seats in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly and ordered the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to redistribute the seats after hearing the parties.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal, announced the reserved judgment on the petition of the PML-N against the distribution of reserved seats.
In its two-page judgment, the court declared null and void both the announcements of the ECP regarding the allocation of reserved seats for women and minorities. It said the ECP should reallocate these seats after hearing all candidates and political parties within 10 days.
The court delayed the oath-taking of the lawmakers on the reserved seats until the ECP decision. The court also ruled that ECP’s deadline for the independent candidates to join any political party in the provincial assembly by February 22, 2024, was unconstitutional.
The K-P Assembly comprises 124 lawmakers – 99 elected on general seats, besides 21 reserved seats for women and four reserved seats for non-Muslims. The reserved seats are allocated only to the political parties in the house based on their strength.
After the general elections on February 8, 2024 the ECP allocated the reserved seats to the political parties, excluding the independents, who were PTI-backed, and formed majority in the house. However, the matter dragged for over a year in the courts, until it was settled in the Supreme Court recently.
The PHC ruling directed the ECP to redistribute these seats after hearing the PML-N, the JUI-F, the PPP, the ANP and the PTI-Parliamentarians.
Earlier, during the hearing, ECP Special Secretary Law Muhammad Arshad, ECP lawyer Mohsin Kamran, PML-N lawyer Aamir Javed and Barrister Saqib Raza, JUI lawyer Naveed Akhtar and Farooq Afridi appeared in the court.
The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the ECP counted six PML-N members – five elected on general seats and one independent joining the party within three days of stipulated time – and distributed the reserved seats, accordingly, through a notification issued on February 22, 2024.
However, he continued, notifications of the election victories of some candidates were still pending by that time. He added that the notification of Malik Tariq Awan’s victory was issued on February 22, who joined the PML-N on February 23 – well within the three days of timeframe.
This raised the PML-N’s strength in the house to seven, the lawyer told the court. Similarly, he added, the ECP issued a separate notification for allocation of reserved seats for minorities on March 4 and again the PML-N’s six seats were counted, as Awan was declared an independent.
As per the distribution, lawyer stated, one minority seat was given to the JUI, one to the PML-N and one to the PPP, while one seat was left vacant, which would have been decided through tossing of the coin. He added that the party moved the ECP and claimed that it had seven seats in the house.
Overall, lawyer Aamir Javed told the court, the ECP gave 10 reserved seats to the JUI based on its seven general seats in the assembly, while the PML-N was given eight reserved seats on the strength of seven general seats, by counting its six seats.
The petitioner’s lawyer said that the party did not want postponement of the Senate elections which was due later this month. He requested that if the court wanted to send the matter to the ECP, then the election supervisor should be bound to decide the matter within three days.
When asked by Justice Ali as to how the ECP could distribute the seats when the process was not complete, the ECP special secretary said that the assembly session had to be held 21 days after the election. He added that ECP allocated the seats based on the party positions on February 22, 2024.
The JUI lawyer took the position that the party whose seats were challenged should be made a party to the case. Naveed Advocate said that JUI was not party and he was representing Gujral Singh, who was elected on a reserved seats.
After hearing the matter, the court reserved its ruling, which was announced later in the day. The court also annulled the notification regarding Gujral Singh, dated March 26, 2024.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed on Tuesday that consultations are being accelerated with the private sector, particularly exporters, to expand port facilities and fully activate Gwadar Port.
The officials briefed the prime minister and leading figures from the industrial sector during a meeting focused on economic and industrial development, increasing exports, and addressing challenges faced by the business community.
The briefing highlighted that relief measures have been provided to the common man, business community, and investors within the available budget resources. Officials said there is significant potential for expanding investment and industry in Pakistan.
Ministry unveils plan to expand operational capacity of Gwadar port
They added the government team is working to improve awareness and communication with the private sector regarding policy facilitation, noting that Pakistan is emerging from difficult times and is now on the path to development.
Efforts are underway to reduce production costs, including electricity prices, to enhance the competitiveness of the business community in global export markets, officials said. They also noted that the digitisation of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) is simplifying business and investment processes.
Privatisation of state-owned enterprises is being expedited to reduce the size of the government, they added.
“For the first time in the country’s history, a modern information technology ecosystem is being introduced. AI-based systems are being developed in agriculture and other sectors,” officials said, highlighting ongoing efforts to introduce modern technology, quality seeds, machinery, and updated systems in agriculture.
Business leaders representing textiles, agriculture, cement, information technology, and other industries took part in the meeting.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Sharif credited the government team’s tireless efforts for achieving economic stability.
“Now, the goal after achieving stability is to ensure economic growth, increase exports, generate employment, develop industries, and enhance foreign investment in the country,” he said.
He stressed the need to utilise local resources to achieve economic development and make Pakistan self-reliant, adding that suggestions from the business community are extremely valuable for the country’s economic progress.
“I will personally meet with the business community every month to involve them in the consultative process for national economic development,” the prime minister said.
“I am hopeful that our future meetings will be as meaningful and productive as today’s,” he added. “Private sector representatives and experts from each field will be consulted.”
“This long journey of progress must be undertaken with hard work and mutual cooperation,” he concluded.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said that the “participants praised the government’s efforts to stabilise the economy under the prime minister’s leadership.”
“After long and testing negotiations with the IMF, you finalised and ensured the implementation of a programme to save Pakistan’s economy,” they told the prime minister.
They also described the budget as a “people-friendly step in the right direction for business facilitation” and emphasised that government policies should align with the needs of business, investment, and industry.
“To increase foreign investment in Pakistan, it is necessary to provide more facilities to investors and exporters,” they said.
The participants appreciated government reforms in the tax system and efforts to enhance transparency and speed in customs clearance at ports by the FBR.
They welcomed the inclusion of private sector suggestions in policy-making for industrial development. The federal ministers, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Ataullah Tarar, Awais Leghari, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Shaza Fatima, Hanif Abbasi, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, Prime Minister’s Agriculture Coordinator Ahmed Umair, and other senior officials attended the meeting.
THE federal government’s proposal to revive the jirga system in the newly merged districts is being seen as a prelude to the restoration of the former tribal agencies’ semi-autonomous status. There may not be any specific plan on the table yet to revert to the old order, but the prime minister’s decision to form a committee headed by the Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan to look into the matter has raised serious concerns.
A recent meeting of the committee members, comprising mostly federal government officials, stressed the need to revive the jirga system in the districts. According to media reports, ways were discussed to promote an effective alternative justice system in the former tribal districts. The jirga system, a traditional form of conflict resolution, was abolished after the merger of the seven tribal agencies in 2018 through the 25th Constitutional Amendment.
One fails to understand the objective behind such a regressive, unconstitutional move that will not only weaken the unity of the federation but also have serious implications for our national security. The KP government has rejected the committee’s formation, referring to it as federal interference in provincial matters, thus intensifying the stand-off between Islamabad and Peshawar.
Fata’s merger with KP in 2018 in the wake of rising militancy was viewed as a significant step towards bringing the lawless semi-autonomous regions into the mainstream and providing better governance and development to its population. But seven years on, the promise has not been fulfilled. The transition has faced numerous challenges mainly because of limited financial resources for the development of infrastructure in the merged districts and improvement in the lives of the people.
There’s something ominous about the centre’s efforts to revive the jirga system in former Fata.
Over the past seven years, the federal government has neither provided the promised development funds of Rs100 billion annually to the merged districts nor its three per cent share in the National Finance Commission award. The situation has worsened with the ongoing confrontation between the federal government and the PTI-led provincial administration. The resurgence of militancy in the region has also caused the complete collapse of governance in the merged districts.
Instead of addressing these challenges, it seems that the federal government is trying to revert to the old colonial structure, which was the main factor contributing to the backwardness of the former federally administered tribal areas called Fata.
The latter was governed by the controversial Frontier Crimes Regulation and political agents. Disputes were settled by local jirgas comprising tribal elders and maliks appointed by the federal government. The courts had no jurisdiction in the area, which was directly controlled by the centre. The provisions of the Constitution and the laws did not apply there.
For decades since independence, because of political and geostrategic reasons, there was no effort to bring the region into the mainstream. Fata’s semi- autonomous status provided the state plausible deniability when the region was turned into a centre for training and then launching militants from within the country and outside into Afghanistan to fight against the Soviet forces.
But this situation also resulted in Fata becoming a hub of militancy that threatened Pakistan’s own security. It also led to the complete collapse of state control over the strategically located region. The vacuum was filled by terrorist groups — such as the TTP — which took control of the area. While successive military operations largely cleared the area of militants, they also caused a huge humanitarian crisis as hundreds of thousands of residents were forced to leave their homes and businesses to escape the fighting.
Most of them might have returned to their devastated land, but many migrated to other areas in search of livelihood. One reason for integrating the tribal areas into the mainstream was to establish the writ of the state there and carry out development works in the conflict-devastated territory. But seven years on, the plight of the people in the districts has not improved. The administrative and justice system remain broken mainly because of lack of financial resources. This has added to the public’s discontent.
Most worrisome is the return of militancy in the merged districts with the weakening of the administration and justice system. The military is in the region fighting the insurgents. But the problem is that there is no realisation in Islamabad and Pindi that kinetic operations alone cannot bring peace and stability to the troubled areas. What is needed is the acceleration of the reform programme rather than reverting to the obsolete jirga system. There is an urgent need to strengthen the civil law-enforcement services and accelerate development work.
There was a broader consensus among the political parties, except for a few, on mainstreaming the former tribal territories. But this rethinking in the ruling party on reform is quite intriguing. Some reports suggest that there is move to bring back former Fata under federal rule thus allowing Islamabad to retake control of the mineral mines there.
In fact, the KP Assembly did not pass the mines and mineral legislation that would have given the federal government some control over the mines. The former tribal areas have huge deposits of rare earth and other minerals which has drawn the interest of the Trump administration.
There certainly is something sinister about the federal government rethinking ex-Fata’s reforms and the revival of the jirga system there. By denying the region its democratic and civil rights, the state is further alienating the tribesmen. It will be disastrous if the security pretext is used.
Some unconfirmed reports suggest that one reason behind the apparent move to backtrack on reforms are the security establishment’s concerns over the rising arc of insurgency in the region. But restoring the old order will only worsen matters. Any such move will strengthen the militants, further threatening our security. The state must respect the sentiments of the people who want to be fully part of the country.
BERLIN: A German court ruled on Tuesday that the government is obliged to issue visas to Afghan nationals and their family members who were accepted into a humanitarian admissions programme that the new centre-right coalition intends to shut down.
A foreign ministry official said the government was reviewing the decision, which is not yet legally binding. After the hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 by Western allies, Germany established several programmes to resettle local staff as well as particularly vulnerable Afghans.
Since May 2021, Germany has admitted about 36,500 vulnerable Afghans including former local staff by various pathways. Some 2,400 Afghans approved for admission are waiting in Pakistan to travel to Germany without a clear idea of when, as the programme has been suspended pending a government review, the foreign ministry in Berlin said this month. The court decision, in response to an urgent appeal by an Afghan woman and her family, ruled that the government was legally bound to honour its “irrevocable” commitment to them.
“The applicants assert that they are entitled to a visa and can no longer remain in Pakistan. They face deportation to Afghanistan, where they fear for their lives,” it said.
However, the government is within its rights to end the programme for Afghans and refrain from issuing any new admission commitments going forward, according to the court in Berlin.
NGOs have said that an additional 17,000 Afghans are in the early stages of selection and application under the now-dormant scheme.
