Category: 1. Pakistan

Citizens of Pakistan and the UAE — holding a diplomatic or official passport — no longer need a visa to travel to each other’s country and this new policy has now officially started.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that a visa waiver agreement between Pakistan and the UAE is now in effect.

The agreement, which waives visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders from both countries, was signed between Dar and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on June 24.

The agreement has come into effect 30 days later, on July 25, and is now being implemented at all airports in both the UAE and Pakistan.

Pakistan, UAE sign visa exemption agreement for select passport holders

In a post on X, FM Dar said: “In my meeting at Abu Dhabi on 24th June 2025 with my brother Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we agreed mutual visa waivers on diplomatic and official passports between our two brotherly countries and we both signed a Memorandum of Understanding to make this arrangement effective and operative after 30days of the signing of the said MoU.

“Am pleased to confirm that I have been informed by the UAE authorities that the visa waiver for diplomatic and official Pakistani passports entering the United Arab Emirates has been activated, effective July 25, 2025, at all UAE airports. Am glad to also confirm that reciprocal arrangements have also been activated for UAE nationals at all Pakistani airports.”

In a social media post on June 25, Dar had said that three important MoUs were signed between Pakistan and UAE: Visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders; cooperation in AI & the digital economy; and joint investment promotion, which will pave the way for enhanced engagement to the mutual benefit of both nations.

The foreign ministers of Pakistan and UAE had also discussed matters across multiple domains of bilateral cooperation and explored new avenues for collaboration in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development and IT during this meeting last month.

JHUDDO, Pakistan: On any given morning in this flood-ravaged town in southern Sindh, Shamim Akhtar’s team of three men fans out on motorbikes, collecting scrap metal and plastic from doorsteps. 

In return, they hand over household essentials: pots, mugs, jugs — items many families need but can no longer afford.

It’s a barter economy, resurrected not by nostalgia but by necessity.

Once a farmer scraping by on unstable harvests, Akhtar, now 48, has become a self-made entrepreneur, running what she calls a modern twist on a traditional system. The shift has brought her stability and income — nearly Rs50,000 ($175) in monthly profit — in a region where formal employment is rare and inflation relentless.

“What we do [in this business] is that we take scrap from people’s houses and in return give them new things,” Akhtar told Arab News.

“In old times, our mothers used to give some junk or grain from home and take edible items or some vegetables … We now have revived the same system that we give house utensils [in exchange for their scrap].”

RETHINKING LIVELIHOODS AFTER FLOODS

The transformation began in the aftermath of Pakistan’s devastating 2022 floods, which killed over 1,700 people and displaced millions. In Jhuddo, where vast stretches of farmland were inundated, Akhtar lost her crops and her confidence in agriculture.

“All our crops would get destroyed whenever the flood would hit us,” she said. “In the initial days of flooding, the NGOs or government would help us but later we used to face very tough financial conditions.”

Farming, once her only means of survival, was no longer viable. So she pivoted, choosing to barter in utensils, essential items that every household needs. With capital provided by Germany’s Malteser International relief agency, she set up shop with wholesale goods from Hyderabad, sold scrap to local junkyards, and launched a low-cost business model tailored to village economics.

“We don’t have a cost-intensive system of giving expensive stuff to the villagers which they can’t even afford,” Akhtar explained. “We are doing this trade at the village level and are giving stuff that the villagers can afford.”

The NGO-backed program, a €600,000, 36-month initiative implemented by the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO), has helped more than 150 women launch nano-enterprises in climate-affected areas of Mirpurkhas district.

“Earlier, the people here mostly used to do farming and rear livestock, but now they have diversified [their sources of income] to business,” said Komal Jameel, a livelihood officer at SRSO.

“She [Akhtar] keeps giving us her data entry through digitalization on a daily basis. She tells our team how much loss and earnings she is making out of her business. This scrap exchange is a very good business.”

WOMEN LEAD NEW ECONOMIC MODELS

Across the region, other women are following suit. In Niaz Kapri village, 48-year-old Hameeda Tariq began a similar scrap-for-goods exchange after floods wiped out her family’s farmland and livestock. 

Working with her husband, who sources utensils from nearby cities, she now earns around Rs40,000 ($140) a month.

“Before starting this business, we used to work in the fields and domesticate livestock,” said Tariq, a mother of three. “What brought us here is the recurring incidents of flooding in our village that would damage our crops and kill our animals.”

In neighboring villages, women are testing other models: a cosmetics stall in Roshanabad, a spice business in Khuda Bux II, a beauty parlor and tuck shop in Mir Allah Bachayo union council. All operate on small grants and are tracked digitally via mobile apps provided by SRSO.

“So far we have given grants to 320 individuals for starting nano businesses, of which 50 percent are females,” said SRSO district project officer Maqsood Alam. 

“We are strengthening local stakeholders and communities so that they could head toward sustainable livelihood and we could protect them in terms of climate change.”

The return to barter, often dismissed as outdated, is gaining currency in places where cash flow is erratic, formal banking is inaccessible, and climate volatility threatens conventional trade.

“This is a miracle in the history of Jhuddo that a female shopkeeper is sitting there and five females are jointly running this business,” Alam said.

For Akhtar, the impact is not just economic, but personal.

“This [business] has had a huge impact on my family,” she said. “Now we are earning a very good income from this, Mashallah, and we are getting a lot of support because of this.”

Pakistani pilgrims will be barred from travelling by road to Iran and Iraq for the Arbaeen pilgrimage due to public and national security, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday.

Pilgrims visit Iraq to attend the chehlum commemoration — also known as Arbaeen (40 in Arabic) — to mark the 40th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

“After extensive consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, [the] Balochistan Government, and security agencies, it has been decided that zaireen (pilgrims) will not be allowed to travel to Iraq and Iran by road for Arbaeen this year,” Naqvi said on X.

He added that the “difficult decision was taken in the interest of public safety and national security”.

However, the pilgrims will be able to travel by air, the minister noted.

Naqvi stressed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to “arrange maximum flights to facilitate their pilgrimage in the coming days”.

Naqvi’s statement came after he met with PM Shehbaz earlier today to brief him on the new policy for pilgrims, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.

The premier also directed Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif to arrange “special flights” for the pilgrims, APP stated, citing a press release from the PM Office.

Iraq’s Karbala, where Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas are buried in two enormous mausoleums facing each other, is the centre of the Shia world during this time. More than 21 million devotees took part in the pilgrimage last year.

Pakistan is set to introduce a new travel management system from Jan 1, 2026, under which pilgrims will only be allowed to undertake the journey under registered organisers.

Under the new measures, the traditional Salar System will be abolished and replaced with a Zaireen Group Organisers model. Alongside weekly flights to Iran being increased from six to 15, 107 additional special flights will also be arranged for pilgrims heading to Iraq.

Earlier this month, Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf retracted his statement that 40,000 pilgrims had not returned from trips to Iran and Iraq. He clarified that a “misunderstanding” of outdated paper records that had not yet been fully digitised resulted in the statement.

PM tells Naqvi to start work on Gwadar Safe City project

During their meeting, PM Shehbaz and Naqvi also discussed the law and order situation in Balochistan, with the premier telling the minister to initiate work on the Gwadar Safe City project.

The project aims to provide a safer city for the residents of Gwadar, particularly at the identified strategic locations and also help law enforcement agencies in detecting and investigating crimes by collecting evidence.

The delay in the project had been highlighted by Senator Quratulain Marri in May as she chaired a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

Senator Marri had sought a report on a critical discrepancy — the Gwadar Development Authority officials blamed a lack of funds for the project delays, while the Finance Division said it had received no funding demand from the Balochistan government.

On July 11, a representative of the Balochistan government told a high-level government meeting that 30 per cent of the project was complete, with full completion expected by June 2026.

With the initial plan prepared in 2016, the first phase of the Gwadar Safe City project had been approved by the Central Development Working Party in February 2023 for Rs4.97bn.

PIA announces special flights for pilgrims

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced to operate special flights for billions of pilgrims. according to the airline’s spokesperson.

Four flights will depart from Karachi from August 8 to 11, the announcement said.

Flights for pilgrims returning from Najaf have been scheduled from August 18 to 21.

Ticket sales have started for all flights, the statement added.

“More flights will also be scheduled based on market demand,” the spokesperson said.

RAWALPINDI: A suspected case of honour killing in Rawalpindi’s Pirwadhai area took a new turn on Saturday night when the deceased woman’s second husband appeared and surrendered before police.

The case involves the murder of a 19-year-old woman, reportedly killed in the name of so-called honour following a jirga verdict, and secretly buried in a local graveyard.

The woman, married to Zia-ur-Rehman, had allegedly left her home on July 11 with gold jewellery, Rs150,000 in cash, and her belongings, according to the FIR registered by the husband on July 21.

He later learned she had married a man named Usman, despite already being married, according to the FIR. She was believed to have been murdered on July 16 and buried the next day.

However, in a new twist, the woman’s second husband, Usman, surrendered himself to police late last night in Rawalpindi’s Pirwadhai area.

As per the Nikahnama (marriage form), the couple had married on July 12 in Muzaffarabad.

Usman, originally from Chehla Bandi, Muzaffarabad, works at a workshop near the Pirwadhai bus stand. The girl had married him on July 12 in Muzaffarabad and had earlier filed a statement before the judicial magistrate and sought protection from the court.

In her statement before the court, the woman claimed that she had willingly married Usman and revealed that her father had passed away, her mother had remarried, and that her first husband had verbally divorced her, according to police sources.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Ilyas, the victim’s father-in-law and Usman’s father, recorded a video statement saying that he and his family live modestly by working as labourers, and he arranged Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 to help the victim secure court protection.

“When she asked for protection, I arranged between Rs30,000 and Rs40,000 and took her to court. I conducted the marriage and submitted statements in court.

However, four days after the wedding, armed men allegedly entered their home and threatened the family’s lives, Ilyas said in a video statement.

The family later handed the woman back to her relatives after her marriage was finalised. Tragically, they learned two days later of her murder, he said.

Fearing his son might be falsely implicated in the murder case, Muhammad Ilyas said he voluntarily surrendered Usman to the police.

He appealed to the authorities to provide his family security amid threats.

A day ago, the Rawalpindi court approved a three-day physical remand of two suspects in the alleged honour killing of a married woman in the Pirwadhai area.

The suspects were accused of facilitating the crime and were arrested by the Rawalpindi Police on July 23.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Swat has officially declared the SSC Annual-I 2025 Examination results for both 9th and 10th class students.

Students who appeared in the BISE Swat Matric exams 2025 can now check their results through multiple platforms including the official website, SMS service, and the board’s helpline.

How to Check BISE Swat Matric Result 2025

Students can access their 9th and 10th class results through the following methods:

• Official Website: Visit www.bisess.edu.pk
• SMS: Send your Roll Number to 8333
• Helpline: Call 0946-865670 for any result-related queries

Complete BISE Swat Matric Result 2025

The BISE Swat Matric Result 2025 includes detailed marks for each subject. Students are advised to keep their original roll number slips handy to avoid any issues while checking results.

Earlier this year, thousands of students from Swat and surrounding areas appeared in the SSC Annual-I exams. The board had ensured strict examination protocols and timely paper evaluation to maintain transparency and efficiency in the result compilation process.

For rechecking applications, DMC issuance, and migration certificates, students are encouraged to visit the board office or check the instructions available on the official website.

The death toll from floods in Gilgit-Baltistan stood at 10 as search and rescue operations continued across the region and stranded tourists were moved to safer locations, officials said on Sunday.

The devastating impacts of climate change have become more visible in GB as unprecedented heat­­waves, erratic weat­her patterns and glacial melting have triggered cloudbursts and intense floods across the region.

Floods swept across GB on Monday, causing landslides, leaving many stranded, and damaging more than 500 houses, roads and other infrastructure.

In a statement today, GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said flood-related incidents in the region have claimed 10 lives since Monday, when four were killed and 15 went missing in Babusar.

The toll in Babusar has risen to seven, while two deaths were reported from Diamer’s Thore Valley and another from the Astore district, Faraq added.

The body of an unidentified woman was recovered from the Indus River in Chilas’s Minar area. “The body could be that of one of the tourists swept away at the Babusar Highway,” he said.

While speaking about the search operation yesterday, Faraq had said there may be 10 to 12 missing tourists at Babusar valley.

“Search operations are underway on Babusar Highway by personnel of the Pakistani Army, district administration and other institutions,” he said, adding that rescue and relief operations were also underway in Ghanche, Ghizer and Gilgit.

Most tourists trapped in Ferry Meadows have been rescued and moved to a safe place, Faraq said, adding that the Silk Road had been restored for all types of traffic.

“At least Rs20 billion worth of damage has been caused by flooding in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he said.

“The province runs on grants and aid; it will be difficult redressal for the provincial government alone. The federal government should announce a separate reasonable grant for the relief of flood disasters.”

A day earlier, GB Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan appe­aled to the federal government for Rs7bn in emergency funds to deal with climate-induced disasters that approximately “caused damages exceeding Rs20bn across the region.”

He said unprecedented floods had impacted seven districts, with Diamer being the worst affected. “People in GB are facing daily flood events. At least one flood occurs every day,” he said.

The chief minister said that 300 homes were destroyed, 200 were partially damaged, 40 water channels in 30 villages were swept away and 15 kilometres of roads, bridges, agricultural land, crops and public and private infrastructure were severely damaged.

He noted that only Rs1bn was allocated in the GB budget for emergencies and that the local government is also burdened with Rs3bn in liabilities from past disaster rehabilitation efforts.

The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Peshawar has confirmed the release date for the Matric Result 2025.

The board will announce the SSC Annual-I 2025 results on Monday, July 28, at 4:00 PM.

Earlier that day, at 2:00 PM, the board will hold a special ceremony at its auditorium to honor the top position holders.

How to Check BISE Peshawar Matric Result 2025

Students can check their results through the following methods:

• Website: Visit www.bisep.edu.pk, go to the “Results” section, and enter your roll number.
• SMS: Send your roll number to 9818 to receive the result via text.
• Gazette: Download the complete Matric Result 2025 gazette from the board’s website.

Looking for other board results?

We’ve also compiled Matric Result 2025 updates for all Punjab boards, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, and DG Khan. Check them all in one place, right here.