Pakistan, C hina unveil plan to modernize agric ultural research with joint labs and training programs
cooperation plan aimed at modernizing Pakistan s agricultural research network through joint innovation advanced laboratories and training programs officials said on Wednesday The plan, jointly prepared by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) followed
Pakistan, France explore investment oppor tunities in minerals sec tor through high-level webinar
mains unfulfilled Our politics may differ but our peace is shared, Afridi said, highlighting sacrifices made by security forces and the public in countering militancy GOVERNOR KUNDI URGES UNITY
Governor Ahmad Karim Kundi hailed the jirga as an excellent move reflecting collective wisdom seriousness and national unity He called for the formation of a committee including parliamentary leaders from all parties, even those outside the provincial legislature to ensure continuity and reduce inter-party differences Kundi highlighted Afghanistan s unstable environment noting that foreign interventions leave behind weapons now used against Pakistan We must set aside politics and focus on the province’s prosperity and development,” he said, assuring KP’s support in negotiations with Islamabad for provincial rights
DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS AND REGIONAL CONTEXT
Senior PTI leader Asad Qaiser emphasised using diplomatic channels with Kabul, underscoring that Pakistan and Afghanistan’s stability are interlinked Former National Assembly Speaker Junaid Akbar reminded participants that decisions to intervene in Afghan conflicts historically were driven by military strategy not politics, and stressed consensus with political leadership before future interventions
The Government of Pakistan, in partnership with the Embassy of France, hosted a high-level webinar titled “Pakistan’s Minerals Economy: Gateway to Growth to showcase the country s mineral resources and attract French investment in the mining sector The session was co-chaired by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik and French Ambassador Nicolas Galey at the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) Benjamin Gallezot Interministerial Delegate for Strategic Minerals and Advisor to the French President on mining, participated online Pakistan’s Ambassador to France Mumtaz Zahra Baloch also joined virtually Participants included senior officials from the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the MD/CEO of OGDC, managing directors of GHPL, PPL, and PMDC the Director General of
Mines, and senior executives from other public and private sector entities French companies and diplomats attended virtually to explore potential partnerships in Pakistan s minerals sector
Speaking at the webinar, Ali Pervaiz Malik highlighted Pakistan’s significant reserves of copper gold and rare earth elements essential for global clean energy technologies and electric vehicles He said the government is committed to a sustainable and transparent minerals sector to support national growth and global energy demands
“The global shift toward green energy makes minerals like copper lithium and rare earth elements critical for future technologies Pakistan s mineral-rich regions, especially Balochistan’s Chaghi belt, offer immense investment opportunities,” Malik said He added that the SIFC provides full facilitation and a transparent regulatory framework for international investors The minister outlined initiatives to improve ease of doing business, in-
cluding the National Minerals Harmonisation Framework digitalisation of geological data and revitalisation of the Geological Survey of Pakistan He also highlighted the success of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25), which drew over 5,000 delegates from 50 countries and led to 16 MoUs noting that PMIF26 is scheduled for April 2026 French Ambassador Nicolas Galey welcomed Pakistan s efforts to enhance the mining investment environment and stressed France s interest in sustainable mining partnerships Benjamin Gallezot said the forum effectively showcased opportunities for French companies OGDC MD/CEO Ahmed Hayat Lak confirmed Pakistani firms are open to collaboration in exploration, processing, and value addition projects, emphasizing potential mutual growth The webinar concluded with an agreement to continue coordination between Pakistani and French stakeholders to explore cooperation in mining, technology transfer, and sustainable practices
NA passes 27th Amendment with two -thirds majority amid heated debate, opposition walkout
Tarar slams opposition’s ‘ hollow and uninformed ’ resistance to 27th Amendment
Turkiye, urging Afghan authorities to curb terrorist activities He emphasized that Pakistan seeks peace and regional prosperity but requires genuine cooperation against terror networks 27TH AMENDMENT AND MILITARY RECOGNITION
The PM thanked President Asif Ali Zardari Nawaz Sharif Bilawal BhuttoZardari and allies for supporting the amendment calling it the fulfilment of the Charter of Democracy s vision of a constitutional court He linked the amendment to Pakistan's military performance during the May conflict with India highlighting the international prestige gained and the subsequent conferment of field marshal rank to the army chief now constitutionally protected
PM Shehbaz stressed the alignment between him and Bilawal on federalprovincial relations ruling out unilateral rollbacks of the 18th Amendment or the National Finance Commission (NFC) award I stand for what strengthens Pakistan and the federation," he said OPPOSITION VOICES ALARM PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan sharply criticized the amendment accusing the government of undermining judicial independence He argued that the subclause AB in Article 260 manipulates the tenure of CJP Yahya Afridi and allows a musical chair system for the position "Rushing these amendments has sunk the ship of democracy " he said promising reversal if PTI regains a parliamentary majority The session erupted as PTI lawmakers tore copies of the bill, prompting PML-N parliamentarians to form a human shield around PM Shehbaz and Nawaz Sharif Opposition members staged a walkout protesting both the bill and the voting process Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar responded, clarifying continuity issues regarding the CJP and emphasizing that Article 6 now includes the constitutional court, preventing any abrogation of the Constitution PPP SUPPORTS KEY PROVISIONS Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addressing the assembly amid PTI disruptions condemned recent terrorist attacks and highlighted the necessity of unity He justified PPP support for Article 243 changes related to military leadership "in the context of Pakistan facing asymmetric
warfare" and praised the constitutional cover given to the field marshal rank after Pakistan’s May conflict with India Bilawal stressed the importance of consensus in legislative processes citing the 1973 Constitution and the 18th Amendment, and urged dialogue with opposition parties to reduce political polarisation He rejected any rollback of the 18th Amendment particularly in provincial resource allocation warning against empowering separatists Bilawal also lauded government acceptance of PPP demands for equal provincial representation in the FCC and reaffirmed that suo motu powers would no longer threaten elected representatives INFORMATION MINISTER CRITICIZES OPPOSITION Information Minister Attaullah Tarar lambasted PTI and other opposition parties for selective morality and historical amnesia, referencing the 2022 removal of Imran Khan as PM and the Form-47 controversy post-2024 elections
He accused the PTI of inciting political violence and failing to participate in parliamentary committees for the 27th Amendment "Creating an uproar without clause-by-clause discussion achieves nothing," he said, emphasizing that the amendment strengthens governance defence and justice delivery
NAFISA SHAH DEFENDS PPP ROLE PPP lawmaker Nafisa Shah highlighted her party s role in shaping the amendment, ensuring provincial autonomy, blocking proposals to enhance executive powers and safeguarding dual nationality provisions She emphasized
the need for the FCC to prevent unconstitutional judicial actions and curb misuse of judge transfers Shah noted that despite some controversial elements circumstances demanded strategic engagement: We have to take whatever space we get Boycott is not an option " SPEAKER URGES DIALOGUE NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq invited the opposition to engage in talks highlighting repeated efforts by PM Shehbaz to facilitate discussion PkMAP leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai criticized the amendments as undemocratic, alleging manipulation of mandates and historical injustices, while PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan reaffirmed willingness for dialogue urging access for Imran Khan in jail PASSAGE TIMELINE AND POLITICAL CONTEXT The 27th Amendment builds on the 26th Constitutional Amendment, passed in October 2024 amid controversy over PTI and BNP-M lawmakers Speculation ended when Bilawal announced support for the PM-led amendment on social media followed by cabinet approval and referral to standing committees The Senate approved the bill on Nov 10 with 64 votes amid opposition walkouts The amendment introduces the FCC, reforms the command structure of the armed forces and clarifies judicial
Islamabad’s worst
in three years follows the Wana Cadet College attack
HA R D LY had the attack on the Wana Cadet College been foiled, with all the attackers neutralized and the staff and students all saved, that a blast at the G-8 Markaz Judicial Complex, which houses Islamabad s courts, took place, killing 12 people
The Judicial Complex attack was claimed by the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan making it uncertain which of the forces hostile to Pakistan were behind the attack The TTP are being protected by the Afghan Taliban who are still at war with Pakistan and they also have links to India’s RAW India is still shaken by the New Delhi car bomb blast which left eight people dead That blast on Monday in India’s capital was succeeded by the blast in Pakistan’s capital The attack was embarrassing because it took place at a time when there were more international events than usual, with an interparliamentary Union Speakers Conference and the Islamabad Policy Research Institute s Margalla Dialogue occurring at the same time as a trination T20I tournament was taking place in Rawalpindi
The Wana attack which started on Monday morning with four terrorists of Afghan origin who have been killed preceded the New Delhi blast but did come after the breakdown of the latest round of talks in Istanbul The possibility of the New Delhi attack having any Pakistani involvement can be ruled out from the fact that the Indian government has not engaged in the kneejerk reaction of blaming it on Pakistan as soon as it happens However, the suspicion of RAW involvement in the Islamabad blast cannot be so easily rule out, especially after the TTP claimed responsibility So far, another Raw tool, the Balochistan Liberation Army, has not shown any indication of involvement, but that too cannot be ruled out While the state has been exerting pressure on the TTP by increasing its intelligence-based operations, it has seemingly failed to stop it from carrying out spectacular terrorist attacks
That can only be done by focusing attention on human intelligence There is also a need to determine the extent of the Indian involvement in the matter While the Afghan involvement seems reasonably clear how far is India involved? Is it offering tangible assistance? Should that not serve as a reminder that Pakistan’s enemies are converging? Is Mossad involved? Or the CIA? Pakistan must ensure that this is not the beginning of another series of terrorist outrages It is not just a matter of how the country is seen abroad, but of people s lives
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M
A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Alaw is that kind of substance that is obligatory to maintain properly, even if it is international law A wholly recognized member of the United Nations should have been bound to oblige with pros and cons If any members of the United Nations violate the law they have been condemned criticized and punished by the developed countries But in the case of Israel the whole world might well have become dumb and blind, where International law is valueless The international body has been fractured and knocked down by Israel apart from the rest On October 10 there was a peace deal between Hamas and Israel under the supervision of US President Donald Trump which should have been prolonged but proved fragile within 18 days by Israel again attacking Palestinians on the excuse of hostage exchange, where Hamas couldn’t find a single body With respect to that scenario the whole Middle East is getting worse and is sraining diplomatic relations among nations
Despite the recent ceasefire agreement Israel s aggression in the Middle East has not stopped Israel is still attacking the region on multiple fronts Tel Aviv has carried out multiple military operations in Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank in the past week These attacks indicate that Israel is trying to destabilize and weaken its neighbouring countries Nowadays without any serious confrontation with its sovereign neighbouring countries Israel frequently starts invasions against them Article 2 4 of the United Nations charter says all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations Whereas Article
the reporting process and offering institutional and legal support to victims will not only generate reliable data but also lead to more effective prosecution of offenders However this crisis can also be seen as an opportunity to build a safer more transparent and technologically resilient economy If the government, institutions and the public unite to tackle this challenge, the annual $9 billion loss can be significantly reduced A secure digital economy requires alert users responsible institutions proactive governance and strong policymaking If left unchecked this $9 billion loss will not remain mere statistics; it will continue to corrode the foundations of Pakistan s progress, public trust, and economic sovereignty The fight against digital fraud is not a mere technical issue It is a matter of national security public confidence and economic survival The choice before us is clear: will we continue to be targets of digital looters or will we rise to build a secure, informed, and digitally empowered Pakistan?
The writer is a freelance columnist
Unsung pillars
Fines on broken roads
Dr MuhaMMaD Tayyab Khan
operations and called them war crimes committed by Pakistan Army
TH E National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has registered a case against KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi under sections 11 20 and 26-A of Prevention of Cyber Crimes Act (PCCIA) According to the FIR Sohail Afridi along with others knowingly and deliberately made false, misleading, derogatory and intimidating statements against state institutions with mala fide intentions and ulterior motives He is also alleged to have uploaded a video of the statement on YouTube channel PTI official KPK The FIR further states that statements of the accused and others on social media constitute an organized attempt to undermine public trust in state institutions and are intended to foment unrest in the country and destabilize national security The CM has
loose cannon and saying things which descend into the realm of anti-state posturing that align with the anti-Army rhetoric of our enemies Perhaps it would be appropriate to mention for the benefit of the readers and the general public what he exactly said so that they can understand the severity of the situation warranting legal action against him
Reportedly he said We saw that security forces had tied dogs inside our mosques When we objected, we were told that it s not an issue and that we are no different from them Any policy that harms the public interest is unacceptable; we have never accepted such policies in the past and we will not accept them in the future either
Criticizing military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas, he added that many civilians were being killed in these
The Army personnel are Muslims for whom it is abhorrent even to think about desecrating a mosque The Army is conducting intelligence-based operations and targeting only the hide-outs of the terrorists and their facilitators and not the civilians What Sohail Afridi has alleged is the creation of a dirty mind hell-bent on creating hatred against the security forces and also fomenting unrest among the religious community
By making the foregoing statement he has crossed the red line Ever since being sworn as KP CM, he has maintained defiant postures towards the central government and has vociferously opposed action against terrorists who coming from across the border have been launching attacks on security and law enforcing agencies in which many civilians have also lost their lives His indiscretions in this regard are being used to malign Pakistan and its security forces by the enemies through relentless media campaigns He has actually become a security risk for Pakistan
The country currently is faced with an existentialist threat from the phenomenon of terrorism Our valiant security forces are rendering unparalleled sacrifices to eliminate this scourge so that people of the country could live in peace Trying to denigrate them or level unfounded and preposterous allegations against them by a public representative is an unpardonable offence He does not deserve to be Chief Minister of a sensitive province like KP Unfortunately, the PTI and its founder are relentlessly engaged in anti-establishment propaganda ever since Imran s exit from power through constitutional means The party is engaged in politics of disruption and
s a n d a ny s u c h a t t e m p t w i l l b e m e t w i t h r u t h l e s s fo rc e . H o w e v e r i t s t i l l r e m a i n s c o m m i t t e d t o p e a c e f u l r e s o l u t i o n t h ro u g h d i a l o g u e i f t h e o t h e r s i d e e x h i b i t s s i m i l a r r
I n d i a n p o l i t i c s a r e a f a m i l y b u s i n e s s
149
FO R decades one family has towered over Indian politics The influence of the NehruGandhi dynasty – including independent India s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and current opposition leader Rahul Gandhi and MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – is bound up with the history of India s struggle for freedom But it has also cemented the idea that political leadership can be a birthright This idea has penetrated Indian politics across every party, in every region, and at every level
While the Nehru-Gandhi family is associated with the Indian National Congress dynastic succession prevails across the political spectrum After the passing of Bijayananda (Biju) Patnaik – who was influential in the formation of the Janata Dal party – his son Naveen won his father s vacant seat in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of parliament) Naveen subsequently founded the Biju Janata Dal, named in his father ’s honor, and followed Biju’s footsteps in becoming Chief Minister of the state of Odisha which he led for over two decades The Maharashtra-based Shiv Sena s founder Bal Thackeray passed the leadership mantle to his son Uddhav, whose own son, Aditya, is waiting visibly in the wings The same goes for Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh whose son Akhilesh Yadav later served in the same post; Akhilesh is now an MP and the president of the party In Bihar state the leader of the Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas Paswan was succeeded by his son Chirag Paswan Beyond the Indian heartland, Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir has been led by three generations of Abdullahs, with the principal opposition party dominated by two generations of Muftis In Punjab the Shiromani Akali Dal long commanded by Parkash Singh Badal has been taken over by his son Sukhbir Telangana is currently witnessing a battle for succession between the son and the daughter of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi s founder, K Chandrasekhara Rao In Tamil Nadu, the late M Karunanidhi’s family controls the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party with his son M K Stalin now serving as Chief Minister and his grandson anointed as heir apparent
This phenomenon is not limited to a handful of prominent families; rather, it is woven deeply into the fabric of Indian governance, from village councils to the highest echelons of parliament As one recent investigation revealed 149 families are represented by multiple members in state legislative assemblies with 11 central ministers and nine chief ministers also having family connections A study of the 2009 elections established that two-thirds of MPs under 45 already had a close relative in politics, and younger MPs had almost all inherited a parliamentary seat, usually from a parent Across all parties, 70% of female MPs were from a dynastic background Even women politicians who have no direct heirs such as Mamata Banerjee and Kumari Mayawati have selected nephews as their successors Why, then, has India embraced the dynastic model so fully? One reason might be that a family can serve effectively as a brand But with the literacy rate approaching 81% and mobile-internet penetration exceeding 95% other forces must also be at work Perhaps the most important arises from internal party dynamics Indian political parties are largely personality-driven (with a few exceptions) Leadership-selection processes are often opaque, with decisions made by a small clique or even a single leader – figures with little interest in rocking the boat As a result nepotism generally trumps meritocracy It does not help that running for office requires huge amounts of resources Dynastic families typically possess considerable financial capital which they have accumulated over years in power Moreover, they have access to ready-made election machinery, including networks of donors, party workers and local thugs This gives them an enormous advantage over political newcomers India s embrace of political dynasties may also have a cultural component Despite massive progress on modernization, Indian society retains a sense of feudal fealty, only the reverence once offered to local zamindars (landowners) or royalty is now granted to political leaders This reinforces the impression that political elites are somehow in a different league which makes them – and their families – uniquely suited to power This sense of entitlement is so powerful that it can overshadow even a poor track record enabling dynasts to remain at the helm of their parties despite successive electoral defeats Dynastic politics pose a grave threat to Indian democracy When political power is determined by lineage rather than ability commitment or grassroots engagement the quality of governance suffers Drawing from a smaller talent pool is never advantageous, but it is especially problematic when candidates main qualification is their surname In fact, given that members of political dynasties are likely to be insulated from the challenges faced by ordinary people they are often particularly illequipped to respond effectively to their constituents needs Yet there is no guarantee that they will be held accountable for poor performance It is high time India traded dynasty for meritocracy
tary, confessed to the error and republished the programme They didn’t and the rest is history
SO now what? The two most senior BBC executives have walked out of almost impossible jobs The governance of the organisation is an almost laughable mess And we’re within four years of the strong possibility of a
The botched edit was in itself certainly misleading But the Congressional, Senate and legal authorities that have sat in judgement on Trump’s behaviour that day concluded that he did indeed bear significant responsibility for the insurrection that followed So no one today should be trying to rewrite the sordid story of what happened that day I have just watched the whole programme and, that error aside, it s precisely the sort of journalism for which the BBC is known and trusted It foreshadows (and as it turns out somewhat underestimates) what a Trump presidency could mean But it also goes to some lengths to explain his popularity and the reasons why he might well be re-elected
a £5 4bn international corporation? And who would have their back? You would never guess from the sometimes hysterical coverage of the past week that the BBC remains quite easily the most trusted news organisation in the UK In the US where it recently notched up monthly viewing figures of 77m it is now the second most trusted news source just behind the Weather Channel None of this matters to its ideological and commercial enemies who would quite willingly see it wither or die And the so-called leaked dossier penned by one Michael Prescott, who himself bailed out of journalism 24 years ago in favour of a life in corporate PR has handed them just the weapon they need The killer blow for Davie and Turness was a single bad edit in a Panorama film about Donald Trump broadcast a year ago and now expunged from the BBC iPlayer Let s all agree the edit which conflated two separate parts of Trump’s speech on the day rioters stormed Capitol Hill was unprofessional and indefensible The BBC should have re-edited that part of the hour-long documen-
So it’s not Exhibit A in proving (as Trump’s spokesperson would have it) that the BBC is 100 per cent fake news It doesn t prove that the BBC is as one excitable Telegraph columnist squealed last week, wrong about almost everything that matters” It’s not a good excuse for a former prime minister to urge people to refuse to pay the licence fee Prescott rather gave the game away by professing himself shocked and alarmed that the BBC didn t match this Panorama with an equally “aggressive” film about Kamala Harris That’s his idea of editorial “balance” Maybe he should stick to corporate PR
Quite why the BBC was so slowfooted in admitting to its error over Panorama, while defending the rest of the programme, is hard to fathom BBC sources report that a statement was indeed drafted but the board refused to sign off on it thus allowing Trump Boris Johnson and a small host of BBC haters to fill the
Malik MuhaMMad aShraf
Bank of the Future Forum’
emphasizing that the recent rise in remittances is not solely due to the incentive scheme “If the increase were only because of the incentive scheme the growth trend would have reversed by now He added that Pakistan is working to integrate with global payment systems Speaking further, the SBP Governor said that as the world moves toward digital currencies Pakistan must also adapt The
State Bank is working internally on developing a digital currency though creating a central bank digital currency is not an easy task, he remarked On the topic of digitization and artificial intelligence (AI), Governor stated that the Bank’s focus remains on the digitalization of financial services Workplaces have become digital and financial services are evolving rapidly Consumers now demand secure and convenient banking Cloud computing and artificial intelligence have revolutionized financial services he said
Abdul Aleem Khan condemns Wana,
CCPO chairs per formance review meeting of Model Town and Cantt
Divisions
Capital City Police Officer Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana said that maintaining law & order and ensuring safety of citizens lives and property remain foremost priority of the Lahore Police He added that police force is fully vigilant and actively engaged in safeguarding general public Presiding over a performance review meeting of the Model Town and Cantt Divisions at the Capital City Police Headquarters, CCPO Lahore was briefed about law and order and security measures in detail He directed relevant officers to keep security at all key locations on high alert and ensure that police force remains vigilant in the light of prevailing security situation Bilal
Siddique Kamyana reaffirmed that a zero-tolerance policy is being strictly implemented regarding repatriation of illegal Afghan nationals and instructed that the ongoing operation in this regard should be made more effective and expeditious The CCPO also issued directives to ensure foolproof security arrangements for upcoming T20 Tri-Nation Cricket Series at Gaddafi Stadium along with formulating a comprehensive security plan for 2025 by-election He further directed to take strict action against gambling dens and instructed that hardcore policing measures must be adopted to apprehend A and B category proclaimed offenders DIG (Admin) Imran Kishwar, DIG (Investigation) Zeeshan Raza, DIG (Operations) Faisal Kamran SSP (Investigation) Muhammad Naveed SSP (Operations) Tassawar
Iqbal along with SPs ASPs Circle Officers
SHOs and Investigation In-charges of Model Town and Cantt Divisions attended the meeting
BISP
chairperson holds e-cour t at BISP headquar ters
BISP remains committed to the spirit of public service; measures are being undertaken to strengthen transparency integrity and public trust; No negligence will be tolerated in addressing public concerns; Any irregularities or misconduct by BISP staff should be reported immediately, action will be taken against those responsible: Senator Rubina Khalid’s remarks during the E-Katcheri session Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) Senator Rubina Khalid held an E-Katcheri session at BISP Headquarters Islamabad The initiative aims to provide a direct platform for citizens to voice their concerns highlight their issues, and ensure swift redressal of grievances During the session, which lasted for over an hour, 39 callers from across the country contacted the Chairperson to share their issues Director Generals and relevant officers of BISP also attended the session to facilitate the immediate resolution of complaints The majority of grievances were related to re-survey, biometric verification, programme enrollment, and disbursement of stipends The Chairperson attentively listened to all the complaints and directed the officials concerned to take prompt and effective action emphasizing that no negligence will be tolerated in addressing the concerns of beneficiaries
Karako-
a first-of-its-kind de-risking
to
aimed at expanding
for women-led micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Derived from the words Samar – meaning fruit, “reward,” or “outcome”) and Kar – meaning “to do” or “enterprise”), Samarkar symbolises the “fruit of enterprise” – the tangible rewards of women’s effort resilience and contribution to Pakistan s economy Gilgit-Baltistan hosts a growing base of micro and small enterprises across agriculture handicrafts tourism, and small-scale trade However, access to formal finance remains limited, particularly for women entrepreneurs operating in informal or home-based settings Despite their critical economic contributions women in GB continue to face barriers in the form of limited financial literacy and minimal access to institutional credit Through this collaboration, KCBL, the largest cooperative bank in Gilgit-Baltistan
