ISLAMABAD, MAR 4 /DNA/ – The Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan has notified the commencement of the National Skill Competency Test for IT graduates, a landmark initiative designed to align academic outcomes with the rapidly evolving demands of the global technology sector.

Developed pursuant to Prime Minister’s directives and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication (MoITT), the Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), and the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA), this standardized assessment aims to enhance the employability and market readiness of the nation’s burgeoning IT workforce.

For students currently enrolled in their 7th and 8th semesters of computing programs – including Computer Science, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and related fields – the test offers a transformative opportunity.

Participation is entirely free of charge and provides high-achieving students with a joint certificate from HEC, PSEB, and P@SHA, alongside inclusion in a national talent pool accessible to both local and international employers.

Furthermore, qualifying students will receive one academic credit from their respective institutions and gain prioritized access to internships, apprenticeships, and international certification pathways.

The significance of this initiative extends deeply into the academic landscape. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been asked to ensure full student participation, as the results will form a critical component of national benchmarking.

Universities will be categorized into performance tiers based on their students’ success, reflecting their alignment with industry competencies. Conversely, institutions that fail to facilitate the registration process will face placement below the lowest performance category in national rankings.

The test will be computer based to be conducted simultaneously across Pakistan on April 4-5, 2026. Eligible candidates may contact focal person of their respective university for timely completion of their registration.

ISLAMABAD, MAR 3: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif has invited parliamentary leaders and heads of political parties for a briefing on the regional situation, the PM’s adviser Rana Sanaullah said on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media in Islamabad, he said the meeting will be held tomorrow at 11:30am to discuss domestic and regional security amid Pakistan’s response to the Afghan Taliban regime’s provocative actions along the border and the conflict in the Middle East.

“We have come to invite opposition leaders and party heads on the instructions of the prime minister,” Sanaullah said.

He said that opposition leaders have been asked to offer views beyond partisan considerations.

“Opposition leaders will consult with their colleagues before taking any decisions,” Sanaullah said, emphasising that no side should attach any demands to the meeting.

However, National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai suggested the briefing should be expanded to the entire parliament rather than selected members.

“Given the dangerous regional developments, Parliament must be kept fully informed. We will provide our response by tomorrow morning after consulting with our colleagues,” he said.

The scheduling of the briefing comes as tensions in the Middle East spike following joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.

The two countries launched an assault on Tehran on February 28, with US officials saying the military campaign aimed to destroy Iran’s navy and missile capabilities.

Besides the Middle East conflict, Pakistan is also tackling cross-border terrorism originating from Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Armed Forces continue ground and aerial operations under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, targeting Afghan Taliban elements and Fitna al-Khawarij militants involved in the cross-border incursion.

Security forces launched the operation on February 27 after Afghan Taliban fighters resorted to unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

Since then, security forces have killed 464 Afghan Taliban fighters, while more than 660 have been injured.

Pakistani forces have destroyed 188 Afghan Taliban checkposts, while capturing 31 posts.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said that the prime minister will give an in-camera briefing to the country’s political leaders during the meeting.

He added that Sanaullah has been tasked with extending invitations to the heads of political parties.

ISLAMABAD, MAR 3 /DNA/ – In a high-stakes telephone conversation tonight, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the escalating military confrontation in the Middle East, with Islamabad explicitly denouncing the “Israeli attack on Iran” and subsequent strikes on Gulf nations.

According to an official readout from the Prime Minister’s Office, Sharif strongly condemned the Israeli operations and reaffirmed Pakistan’s “full solidarity” with Gulf countries following what he described as “regrettable attacks” on “brotherly Gulf states.”

The call comes as the region teeters on the brink of a wider war. While the statement did not specify which Gulf nations were targeted, the language signals deep concern in Islamabad over the spillover effects of the Israel-Iran shadow war into the Arabian Peninsula.

Sharif informed Erdoğan that he has already initiated outreach to Gulf leadership, offering Pakistan’s readiness to “play a constructive role in promoting de-escalation and dialogue.”

The two leaders agreed that “maximum restraint by all parties is imperative” to prevent the situation from spiraling into a full-blown regional conflagration.

Beyond the immediate crisis, the conversation touched on developments in Afghanistan, with both leaders resolving to remain in “close and frequent contact” to pursue shared regional stability.

The call underscores the close coordination between Pakistan and Türkiye—two key Muslim powers—as they navigate a rapidly deteriorating security environment from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) on Tuesday categorically denied reports that commercial flights had been restricted, clarifying that the country’s airspace remains fully open and safe for all civil aviation traffic.

The clarification followed media reports suggesting that Pakistan had partially closed its airspace to commercial flights over security concerns linked to the US-Iran conflict, which has disrupted flight operations across parts of the region and beyond.

In a statement, the authority stressed: “Pakistan’s airspace as a whole remains fully open, safe, and completely available for all civil aviation traffic, including commercial flights.

“Air traffic services continue without hindrance, and alternative routing options are available and routinely used for all affected flows.

“No restrictions have been imposed on commercial operations, arrivals, departures, or overflights across Pakistan. Our air traffic controllers and airport teams are fully operational and managing traffic normally.”

— Reporter
— Reporter
Rejecting the media reports, the authority described the interpretation of the Notam as “incorrect and misleading”, stating that it was a routine operational advisory.

It added that the specified routes were closed “from ground level (GND) to unlimited altitude (UNL) due to standard operational reasons”.

The PAA urged media organisations and social media users to rely on official statements and avoid speculative or inaccurate headlines that could cause unnecessary concern among passengers and the wider public.

Global air travel remained in severe disarray since Sunday as sustained air strikes forced the closure of major Middle Eastern airports, including Dubai — the world’s busiest international transit hub — in one of the most significant aviation disruptions in recent years.

Transit gateways such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, as well as Doha in Qatar, were either shut down or operating under heavy restrictions, with large sections of regional airspace closed.

The disruption followed US and Israeli strikes that reportedly killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday, plunging the Gulf into heightened uncertainty.

ISLAMABAD, Mar 3: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the respondents including Adiala Jail admonistration on a petition seeking to shift the PTI founder to Shifa Hospital for treatment.

The court, while removing the objections to the founder of PTI, directed the Registrar Office to fix a number for hearing on March 10, while also directing that the central appeal against the sentence be fixed for hearing next week.

A division bench comprising Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, heard the miscellaneous application of the founder of PTI against the sentence in the Tosha Khana criminal case along with the objections of the Registrar Office and removed the objections during the hearing.

The court asked why the central appeal should not be heard? Sardar Latif Khosa said the health of the founder of PTI is also a matter. Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir said they would hear both the appeal and their application and take decision on the appeal.

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro said that there are appeals of 2023 but the paper book is not ready. Sardar Latif Khosa requested that there should be no delay in the request for transfer of PTI founder from jail to hospital, he should apply tomorrow and an order should also be issued to meet the PTI founder.

Justice Arbab Tahir said that the applicant have made this request in the miscellaneous application and they have issued a notice on it. It would take two to three days to prepare the paper book, the central appeal was being scheduled for hearing next week, come prepared for the next hearing, it said.

AP

ISLAMABAD, MAR 3 /DNA/ – The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) convened an Eminent Talk with Senator Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur as an inaugural Pre-COP31 dialogue on “Strengthening Climate Governance in Pakistan.” The event brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to deliberate on institutional reforms, legislative priorities, and implementation gaps within the country’s climate governance framework.

In his opening remarks, Amb Jauhar Saleem, President IRS, noted that global temperatures are now as warm as at any point in the last 125,000 years, underscoring the unprecedented scale of current warming. He cautioned that if this trajectory continues, severe risks to ecosystems, food security, and global stability will become inevitable.

Delivering the address, Dr. Zarqa reflected on Pakistan’s fragmented policy landscape, observing that contradictory decisions often undermine progress in long-term carbon markets and climate adaptation initiatives. She highlighted that although Pakistan actively participates in international climate negotiations and receives climate finance, structural weaknesses and limited empowerment of local governments continue to hinder effective implementation at the grassroots level.

Dr. Zarqa emphasized that meaningful climate justice cannot be achieved without robust district-level governance. Drawing on recent flood experiences, she underscored the consequences of unregulated urban expansion along riverbeds and its disproportionate impact on vulnerable communities, particularly women and persons with disabilities. She also stressed the urgency of rethinking agricultural and water-use practices in an increasingly water-stressed country.

Mr. Talha Tufail Bhatti, Lead, Climate Governance & Policy Program at IRS, remarked that at a time of political polarization and declining trust in institutions, climate governance must transcend electoral cycles and short-term policy horizons. A shift in mindset from unintended environmental degradation to intentional planetary stewardship is essential to ensuring sustainable and equitable climate action.

By Malik Faisal Munir / DNA 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party Central Secretariat Incharge Syed Sibt-ul-Haider Bukhari visited the Iranian Embassy in Islamabad and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of Ali Khamenei.

During the visit, Syed Sibt-ul-Haider Bukhari recorded his remarks in the condolence book placed at the embassy. He stated that Ayatollah Syed Ali Hosseini Khamenei was a leader of the Muslim world who, through his religious, intellectual, and political insight, highlighted the clear distinction between truth and falsehood and always upheld principled positions. He said that the Muslim Ummah will always remember his services.

He further said that just as sacrifices were made in Karbala for the supremacy of truth, the martyrdom of Ayatollah Syed Ali Hosseini Khamenei is also part of the struggle to uphold justice and truth.

Bukhari expressed heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the people and government of Iran, stating that in this time of grief, the people of Pakistan stand with their Iranian brothers.

He concluded by praying that Allah grant the deceased the highest place in Jannat-ul-Firdous and give patience to the bereaved family.