PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – The Peshawar High Court has ordered the removal of PTI Senator Azam Swati’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), allowing him to travel abroad under certain conditions.
The court announced the reserved verdict on Swati’s plea seeking the removal of his name from the ECL.
As part of the ruling, the court directed Azam Swati to submit surety bonds worth Rs50 million.
Court bars NAB to take action against Azam Swati
According to the court’s order, Swati’s name will be taken off the ECL once the required surety amount is deposited.
The decision comes as a relief for the senior PTI leader who had knocked on the court’s door to secure his travel rights.
The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) on Thursday formally ceased operations, in compliance with the July 31 deadline established earlier this month to close the state-owned enterprise (SOE).
Established in 1971, USC was an SOE tasked with supplying essential commodities at subsidised rates, primarily targeting low-income households. It operated over 4,000 retail outlets nationwide.
According to a USC notification from the Ministry of Industries and Production, available with Dawn.com, the decision was taken in compliance with directives issued by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on June 28 and a meeting of the board of directors earlier this month.
“All the sales and purchases at utility stores have been closed with effect from July 31, except shifting of stock from stores to warehouses and returned to vendors and handing-taking of stores’ inventories,” the notification reads, instructing strict compliance with the order.
Additionally, sales through the business-management suite Odoo have been permanently discontinued as of today, a second USC notification read.
“All point of sale systems connected with Odoo will be rendered inactive across all stores effective July 31,” the notice read. “No store in charge or designated official is authorised to conduct any sales through the Odoo system after this date. Additionally, no procurement transactions shall be initiated through Odoo either.”
According to the notification, the Odoo system will only be utilised for inventory reconciliation and record maintenance and any attempt to carry out sales or purchase transactions after today will be treated as “a serious violation of official policy”.
It added that “any employee found conducting or facilitating sales or purchases through Odoo after July 31 shall be held personally responsible, and strict disciplinary action will be initiated under USC rules.”
According to the finance ministry’s Federal SOE Performance Overview for the first half of FY25, USC posted a loss of Rs4.1 billion over six months, with cumulative losses rising to Rs15.5bn — highlighting persistent structural and operational challenges.
In January, the federal cabinet formed a high-level committee to develop a comprehensive strategy for the prompt shutdown of USC operations nationwide. The committee was tasked with determining a plan for the immediate closure of the USC, as well as arrangements for placing permanent USC employees in the surplus pool or absorption against existing vacancies in other federal government organisations.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Privatisation was informed in April that under the restructuring plan of USC, 1,203 Utility Stores were closed while 2,237 employees were laid off.
China has extended warm congratulations to Pakistan on the successful launch of its new remote sensing satellite from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, reaffirming their close bilateral cooperation in science and technology.
In a statement issued Thursday, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad commended Pakistan’s achievement following a tweet from Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who celebrated the milestone.
“May this satellite further strengthen our iron brother’s capabilities in land resource survey and disaster prevention and alleviation,” the embassy said in response.
The launch is seen as a continuation of deepening strategic ties between the two countries, particularly under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which includes collaboration in space technology.
China successfully sent Pakistan’s remote sensing satellite-01 into preset orbit via the Kuaizhou-1A carrier rocket on Thursday morning from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in SW China’s Sichuan Province. The satellite is tasked to provide services including national land survey… pic.twitter.com/kQK1xCUjWv
Pakistan successfully launched its latest remote sensing satellite from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre (XSLC), said the foreign ministry.
The launch was carried out by SUPARCO, Pakistan’s national space agency, in collaboration with the China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and MICROSAT China.
The ministry said the satellite would significantly enhance Pakistan’s capacity for high-resolution, round-the-clock Earth observation.
It will support a range of areas, including disaster management, urban planning, environmental protection, agricultural monitoring, food security, climate change analysis, and water resource management.
The satellite is part of an integrated Earth observation system and is expected to boost Pakistan’s socio-economic development and sustainability efforts.
Warmly congratulate the successful launch of a new remote sensing satellite for Pakistan from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China! May this satellite further strengthen our iron brother’s capabilities in land resource survey and disaster prevention and alleviation. https://t.co/1N7VzOUJEI
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar lauded the engineers and technical teams from SUPARCO and its Chinese partners for their “exemplary cooperation and unwavering commitment.”
“This achievement reaffirms Pakistan’s standing in the community of spacefaring nations,” the Foreign Office statement said. Officials say the satellite will also improve early warning systems and help respond to environmental risks more effectively.
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal also congratulated the nation on the successful launch, calling it “another proud moment” for the country.
In a post on his official X handle, he said the achievement reflects the dedication and excellence of SUPARCO’s team and marks a new milestone for Pakistan’s space programme.
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz met Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Maliki to discuss matters of mutual interest, regional cooperation, and strengthening bilateral ties.
The high-level meeting underscored shared commitment of both countries to expand economic collaboration, enhance defense partnerships, and promote unity within Muslim Ummah.
Top leaders extended warm wishes and deep respect for Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reaffirming Pakistan’s long-standing bond with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Both sides agreed to intensify joint defense cooperation, including training, intelligence sharing, and security collaboration. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing historical, political, economic, and strategic ties between the two nations.
Speaking on occasion, CM Maryam Nawaz stressed spiritual and emotional importance of Saudi Arabia for Muslims worldwide. “Saudi Arabia holds a special place in the hearts of every Muslim. The leadership of King Salman represents hope, dignity, and progress for the Muslim world,” she said.
Punjab CM said Pakistan-Saudi relationship is founded on mutual trust, shared values, and enduring brotherhood, calling it a cornerstone of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
She highlighted Pakistan’s participation as founding member in Global Water Organization under Saudi leadership, reflecting its commitment to addressing global water challenges. She also praised Saudi Arabia’s commendable efforts for regional peace and stability.
CM mentioned role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in expediting major development projects and expressed gratitude to the Saudi government for hosting over 2.5 million Pakistani expatriates.
She concluded by saying that maintaining close and consistent consular communication with Saudi Arabia is a top priority for the Punjab government.
The Sindh Provincial Ombudsman has ordered the immediate removal of K-Electric’s Chief Executive Officer, Moonis Alvi, and imposed a fine of Rs2.5 million after finding him guilty of workplace harassment.
The order came in response to a complaint filed by Mahreen Aziz Khan, a former consultant and the company’s first female CxO since its corporate restructuring began in 2009. The complaint, lodged in November 2020 under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, accused Alvi of harassment and creating a hostile environment.
In his verdict, Justice (retd) Shahnawaz Tariq, who presided over the case, stated that Alvi had committed harassment and caused psychological distress to Khan and her team.
Also Read: Pakistan launches new remote sensing satellite from China
“Accused No.1 Moonis Abdullah Alvi has committed harassment, created hostile environment and caused mental agony at the workplace to the complainant Mahreen Aziz Khan and her team,” the ruling said, citing Section 2(h) of the Act.
The Ombudsman ordered Alvi’s removal from service under Section 4(ii)(d) of the Act and directed him to pay the fine within one month. In case of non-compliance, the verdict allows for the seizure of his movable and immovable assets, and the blocking of his national identity card and passport.
Three other individuals — Rizwan Dalia (Chief People Officer), Col (R) Wahid Asghar (Chief of Security), and Khalid Rafi (Board Member, HR Committee) — were also named in the original complaint but were discharged due to lack of evidence.
“In the absence of direct evidence, the allegations against the three co-accused could not be substantiated,” the ruling said.
K-Electric’s response
KE CEO Moonis Alvi has strongly denied the allegations of harassment levelled against him in a 22-page order issued by the Sindh Ombudsman on Thursday, and announced that he will be challenging the decision.
In a series of posts on X, Alvi—who is the longest-serving CEO in KE’s history—said he was “deeply distressed” by the ruling and vowed to fight back through legal channels.
I have always upheld the values of integrity and dignity in professional interactions, and I deeply believe in fostering safe and inclusive workplaces for all.
The recent verdict is deeply distressing to me. While I respect the legal process and the institutions that (1/4)
“While I respect the legal process and the institutions that uphold it, I must, in good conscience, state that the findings do not reflect the truth of the situation as I experienced it,” he wrote. “I am currently reviewing the decision with my legal counsel and will be exercising my right to appeal… I remain committed to ensuring that the truth is fully brought to light, through all lawful means available.”
Alvi’s legal team, led by senior counsels Barrister Abid S Zuberi and Barrister Ayan Memon, also confirmed plans to file an appeal against what they called an “unreasoned order.”
uphold it, I must, in good conscience, state that the findings do not reflect the truth of the situation as I experienced it.
This has been a painful journey — not just professionally, but personally. I am currently reviewing the decision with my legal counsel and will be (2/4)
“We respect the honourable court and all its decisions. However, in light of serious procedural and legal inconsistencies, we are moving to appeal this decision before the appropriate forum and are confident that justice will prevail,” the statement said.
They criticised the ruling for what they termed the mischaracterisation of “performance feedback” as harassment and objected to what they described as the imposition of the harshest penalty without a reasoned explanation.
“Mr Alvi gave full disclosure regarding work performance issues concerning the complainant, along with retaliatory complaints made after her termination. These facts were completely overlooked,” the legal counsels noted, adding that a substantial portion of the order focused on “frivolous allegations not backed by hard evidence.”
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, chairs a meeting in Islamabad on June 11, 2025. — APP
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain on Thursday denied any sugar crisis in Pakistan, asserting that the country holds sufficient stock and faces no issue with supply or prices.
His remarks, made at a press conference in Islamabad, come amid widespread reports of worsening shortages and escalating costs across major cities. Markets in Lahore and Islamabad are facing severe shortages, while prices in Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta surge to Rs190 per kilogramme, defying official caps.
“There is no sugar crisis. The country has enough stock, and prices are stable,” said Hussain, dismissing what he called “misleading impressions” regarding sugar import and export.
He said that the sugar trade is a routine process and highlighted that Pakistan has engaged in both exporting and importing sugar for “the past decade”. He also said that all decisions concerning the sugar trade are approved by the Sugar Advisory Board, which includes federal ministers, provincial representatives, and other key stakeholders.
Hussain shared that last year, Pakistan had a surplus of 1.3 million metric tonnes of sugar, which was the basis for allowing the export of the same quantity.
At that time, 800,000 metric tonnes of sugar were part of the opening stock, and total production stood at 6.8 million metric tonnes.
He said sugar exports began in October 2024, and the crushing season started only 20 days later. At the time of export, global sugar prices were $750 per tonne, while the local price was Rs138 per kilogramme.
“It was decided that sugar would not be sold for more than Rs140 per kilogramme in local markets,” he added.
Commenting on the current year’s production, the minister said only 5.8 million metric tonnes of sugar were produced, below the earlier estimate of seven million tonnes.
He also clarified that the decision to import sugar would not negatively affect sugarcane growers. “We’ll ensure growers remain protected while ensuring market stability,” he said.
Tanveer stated that the government has now fixed a new sugar price and will strictly enforce it to keep it affordable for the public. He warned that stern action is being taken against hoarders who are attempting to create an artificial shortage in the country.
