The operation, carried out without discrimination, targeted constructions built illegally on 360 kanals of land after 2005. Several buildings were also vacated from occupants who had not paid rent for years. Minister Naqvi himself visited the site to inspect the progress of the operation and review the ongoing beautification and upgradation projects in Saidpur Village

DNA

ISLAMABAD – On the directives of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, a large-scale anti-encroachment operation was launched in Saidpur Model Village, resulting in the demolition of more than 200 illegal structures. Authorities confirmed that 191 kanals of land belonging to the National Park had been retrieved from illegal occupants.

The operation, carried out without discrimination, targeted constructions built illegally on 360 kanals of land after 2005. Several buildings were also vacated from occupants who had not paid rent for years. Minister Naqvi himself visited the site to inspect the progress of the operation and review the ongoing beautification and upgradation projects in Saidpur Village.

The Interior Minister stressed that action against encroachments and unauthorized constructions around the historic site would continue without exception. He directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to ensure that the vacated properties are auctioned in a transparent manner.

It has been revealed that Azerbaijan has provided a significant financial grant to the CDA to support the beautification of Saidpur Village, which remains a key tourist attraction in Islamabad. However, concerns have been raised regarding the lack of proper parking facilities for visitors. Civic authorities have been urged to address this issue on a priority basis to improve tourist convenience.

Residents also highlighted that during the recent heavy rains, several houses in Saidpur Village were damaged as the nullah overflowed due to rampant encroachments. The incident underscored the urgent need to remove all illegal structures obstructing the natural water flow in the area.

The federal government has pledged that the historic and cultural value of Saidpur Village will be preserved while modern facilities are introduced for visitors.

Tashkent, AUG 19 /DNA/ – President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received a delegation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan led by General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee.

The distinguished guest conveyed the sincere greetings and best wishes of Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif to the Head of our State.

The parties discussed further development of Uzbekistan–Pakistan multifaceted cooperation and strategic partnership in the context of implementing the agreements reached during the visit of the Prime Minister of Pakistan to Uzbekistan in February of this year.

It was noted with satisfaction that mutual contacts and exchanges at various levels have intensified. Since the beginning of the year, trade turnover has increased by 23 percent, and cargo transportation by 50 percent. Trade houses have been opened in Karachi and Lahore. The frequency of direct flights has also grown.

Issues of practical cooperation in the military and military-technical spheres, as well as in combating modern challenges and security threats, were reviewed.

Special attention was paid to the prompt practical implementation of the provisions of the trilateral agreement on the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 19 /DNA/ – The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet met today under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, to deliberate on important economic and development matters.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Maik, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Industries & Production Haroon Akhtar Khan, federal secretaries and senior officials from relevant ministries and government departments.

During the session, the ECC considered a summary submitted by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs regarding the arrest of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) ships in South Africa due to alleged claims of M/s Coniston against Pakistan Steel Mills Ltd. After deliberations, the ECC directed the Finance Division to reimburse Rs 330.526 million to PNSC through a Technical Supplementary Grant (TSG) as per an earlier ECC decision taken in 2017, while further instructing the Ministry of Industries & Production to expedite the finalization and settlement of the arbitration case in court and report back within three months on the progress achieved in resolving this matter on priority basis.

The ECC also approved a proposal of the Power Division for the uniform application of fuel charges adjustment across the country. On another agenda item, the ECC approved the term sheet jointly prepared by relevant stakeholders including NEECA, SBP and banks, based on the Draft Tripartite Agreement for the launch of the Prime Minister’s Fan Replacement Programme. To kickstart the programme, the ECC also approved a TSG of Rs 2 billion in favour of NEECA.

The ECC approved a TSG of Rs 250 million for the National Security Division for its Strategic Policy Planning Cell, with the decision that the remaining amount would be released in a phased manner subject to contextualization and rationalization of expenditures in consultation with the Finance Division. The Committee further accorded in-principle approval to a proposal submitted by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) regarding federal assistance for the affectees of recent monsoon rains and approved a relief package of Rs 5.8 billion, directing the Finance Division to immediately release Rs 4 billion to mitigate the sufferings of the affected people.

On a proposal from the Finance Division regarding the subsidy for RAAST QR Code based person-to-merchant payments, the ECC approved an allocation of Rs 3.5 billion through TSG for the current financial year with provision for continuation for three years, aimed at accelerating digital adoption and promoting the digital economy. The ECC further decided that the State Bank of Pakistan would notify the scheme immediately and submit a comprehensive evaluation report to the ECC on the operational effectiveness of the MDR subsidy scheme by the close of the fiscal year.

The ECC also considered and approved a summary submitted by the Industries & Production Division pertaining to the New Energy Vehicle Policy 2025-30. The Committee commended the Division for preparing a comprehensive and forward-looking policy aligned with international best practices and recognized its potential to steer the country’s transition towards electric vehicles.

The ECC was further briefed on the risk coverage scheme for small farmers and underserved areas which is designed to provide coverage to subsistence farmers in Punjab and Sindh as well as all farmers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in view of their low share in current agricultural credit disbursements. The scheme is expected to add more than 750,000 new borrowers to the formal credit system over the next three years.

Finally, the ECC reviewed the overall gas sector and supply situation in the country and directed the Ministry of Petroleum to take effective measures to control losses in the sector and ensure operational efficiency.

RAWALPINDI, AUG 19 /DNA/ – A high-level defence delegation led by Mr. Agil Gurbanov, Deputy Minister & Director General of Defence, Azerbaijan called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force at Air Headquarters, Islamabad. During the meeting both dignitaries engaged in extensive and fruitful discussions on matters of mutual interest. The talks underscored a shared commitment to fostering defence collaboration with a particular focus on training, modernization and technical expertise. 

The Air Chief extended a gracious welcome to the distinguished guests, reiterating that Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy long standing religious, cultural and historical bonds which serve as the bedrock of enduring brotherly relations between the two countries. During the meeting, Chief of the Air Staff shared insight into various ongoing modernization projects of Pakistan Air Force’s operational construct, force goals and plans for the force structure with a keen focus on future warfare. The Air Chief also reiterated PAF’s unwavering support to provide capacity-building assistance to the Air Force of Azerbaijan in upgradation of it’s human resource, maintenance parameters and operational training.

Mr. Agil Gurbanov lauded the exemplary professionalism of PAF personnel and appreciated the extraordinary strides made by Pakistan Air Force through indigenization and development of advanced aerospace technologies. He expressed Azerbaijan’s keen interest in expanding military-to-military collaboration, specifically in joint training programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives. Underscoring the importance of joint training initiatives through bilateral exercises between the two Air Forces, the visiting dignitary emphasized that such cooperation would enhance shared learning, interoperability and professional excellence. He also conveyed Azerbaijan’s strong desire for collaboration across Multi Domain Operations, noting that Pakistan Air Force’s rich operational experience provides a valuable model for Azerbaijan. He added that his country is especially eager to learn PAF’s complete methodology of Multi Domain warfare to strengthen its own capabilities. The dignitary reiterated Azerbaijan’s intent to revamp its entire training system, beginning from the academy level, and acknowledged Pakistan Air Force as a trusted partner in guiding this transformation. He expressed confidence that cooperation with PAF would significantly contribute to the modernization and professional growth of Azerbaijan Air Force.

The visit of the Azerbaijani Defence Delegation to Air Headquarters, Islamabad reflects the mutual commitment of Pakistan and Azerbaijan to further deepen their strategic partnership, while reinforcing the shared aspirations for regional peace, security and stability.

ISLAMABAD, AUG 19 /DNA/ – Electric vehicles (EVs) can play a transformative role in achieving low-carbon transport; however, for scaling EVs in Pakistan, local manufacturing, charging and swapping infrastructure, and research and development (R&D) are necessary. While numerous incentives have been laid out in new EV policies, limited purchasing power, grid readiness challenges, and a lack of repair and service facilities continue to obstruct their uptake in the country.

This highlights the need for integrated policies, technological readiness, and infrastructure development to ensure that EV adoption contributes to reducing emissions, managing energy demand, and advancing the country’s broader climate and sustainability goals.

Experts observed this at a roundtable titled ‘Prospects of Low-Carbon Transport in Pakistan: Exploring EVs Future,’ held at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad. The session was addressed by Khalid Rahman, chairman, IPS, keynote speaker Engr. Asim Ayaz, general manager policy, Engineering Development Board, Sulaiman Majeed, director planning, Punjab Transport Authority, and Dr Faisal Ahmad Khan, CEO, Balochistan Public Private Partnership Authority, while Dr Usman Qadir, senior economist, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Dr Muhammad Adil Khan, assistant professor, Air University, Islamabad, Mehrosh Fatima, EV charging solutions expert, National Radio Telecommunication Corporation, Afzaal Khan, National University of Science and Technology USPCAS-E, and Engr Asad Mehmood, a climate expert, also spoke on the occasion. The session was chaired by Mirza Hamid Hassan, former federal secretary water and power, and moderated by Ameena Sohail, energy sector lawyer.

Speaking on the policy preparedness at the federal level, Asim Ayaz underlined that the government has been working on making a comprehensive EV policy since 2019. He noted that the government has introduced several policy incentives, such as sales tax exemptions, only 1% duty on EV imports, and initiatives like EV bike distribution schemes to stimulate demand. However, the EV penetration is still limited. In this regard, he highlighted three main challenges: the high upfront price of two-wheeler EVs as compared to petrol ones, the lack of battery swapping facilities, and the dearth of charging infrastructure.

Sulaiman Majeed shared Punjab’s perspective, noting that two-wheelers account for 89% of registered vehicles in the province. He emphasized that replacing this dominance with electrified mass transit is the government’s priority, citing the Orange Line’s success in carrying 200,000 passengers daily. He also underlined ongoing work on Blue and Purple Line transport in major cities, including Lahore, Multan, and Faisalabad, where procurement of 500 electric buses and 400 more under the Punjab Clean Air Program to mitigate emissions and smog is in process.

Regarding Balochistan, Dr Faisal Khan shared that given the province’s geographical constraints, large-scale mass transit projects are impractical. Instead, the provincial government is pursuing a pilot P3 model for Quetta’s downtown, where EV-based transit will be operated within a three-square-km area by private investors with zero subsidy, while the government will provide space for parking and charging stations.

During the discussion session, Dr Usman Qadir emphasized that without localized manufacturing and proper R&D, EV adoption would remain unsustainable. Additionally, he questioned the viability of subsidizing EVs in a country where less than 10% of households own private vehicles.

Adding to the discussion, Dr Adil Khan highlighted grid stability risks due to EV charging that can disturb other consumers. Supporting his argument, Mahrosh Fatima cautioned that DISCOs lack SOPs for integrating EVs, and shared an example from her personal experience of voltage fluctuations caused by charging stations in Islamabad. Afzaal Khan pointed to the absence of EV service and repair facilities, arguing that technical aspects remain neglected in policy discussions. Asad Mehmood urged policymakers not to confine the debate to EVs alone but to also explore hydrogen and alternative battery technologies.

Mirza Hamid Hassan reiterated the need for local manufacturing to reduce costs and raised concerns about revenue losses from the transition away from gasoline-based vehicles.

Concluding the session, Khalid Rahman stressed the importance of designing incentives around consumer realities, as ultimately the common consumer needs to be facilitated. He called for an integrated approach to the matter that addresses technical, financial, and operational challenges simultaneously.