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PM UNDERSCORES SIGNIFICANCE OF RAILWAY SYSTEM AS ‘BACKBONE’ OF ECONOMY
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Sunday, 23 November, 2025 | 1 Jamadiul Sani, 1447
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PM SHEHBAZ DIRECTS HIRING g EMPHASIZES ADOPTING OF GLOBAL-STANDARD A PUBLIC–PRIVATE EXPERTS, PARTICULARLY FOR PARTNERSHIP MODEL PROJECTS TIED TO FOR GOVERNING REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY RAILWAY’S LAND, ASSETS PRELIMINARY GROUNDWORK UNDERWAY ON KAZAKHSTAN–UZBEKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN–PAKISTAN RAIL CORRIDOR PROJECT: BRIEFING
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MEETING INFORMED OPERATIONS OF ISLAMABAD, TEHRAN, ISTANBUL TRAIN EXPECTED TO BEGIN SOON
PREMIER BRIEFED ON DIGITAL SHIFT OF 56 TRAINS, 54 STATIONS WITH PROVISION OF FREE WI-FI AT MAJOR STATIONS
staff report
RIME Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday underscored the pivotal role of a modern, efficient railway system in driving national economic growth and strengthening regional connectivity, calling it the “backbone of any country’s economy and communication network,” state media reported. Chairing an important meeting on Pakistan Railways at the PM House, the prime minister directed that legal and economic experts of international calibre be hired, particularly for projects tied to regional connectivity and upcoming international train links. He also emphasised adopting a public–private partnership model for the management of railway land and property. The prime minister commended the measures taken so far for reviving the rail system and appreciated Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi and his team for their efforts in the restoration and upgrade of Pakistan Railways. The meeting was attended by Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan
Cheema and senior government officials, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. During the briefing, officials informed the meeting that seven digital portals under the ‘Rabta’ initiative were now operational, enabling digitisation across the system. As many as 56 trains had been shifted onto the platform, and 54 railway stations had been digitised. “Free wi-fi service had been pro-
Pakistan condemns human rights violations in IIOJK, urges international action ISLAMABAD
staff report
Pakistan has voiced serious concern over the worsening human rights situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), condemning arbitrary arrests and detentions of Kashmiri citizens following a recent blast in New Delhi. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said in a statement that Pakistan remains “gravely concerned about the persistent and serious human rights situation in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.” He noted that prevailing policies, marked by widespread detentions, arbitrary arrests, and severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms, continue to amount to collective punishment of the occupied Kashmiri population. Reports of Kashmiri youth being profiled on the basis of identity and faith, Andrabi added, “further heighten these concerns.” The spokesperson also highlighted India’s continued efforts to alter the demographic character of the occupied territory and erode the religious, cultural, and social heritage of the Kashmiri people. “These measures appear to form part of a deliberate strategy to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Kashmiri population,” he said. Andrabi pointed out that thousands of Kashmiri youths remain missing, while political representatives are still in custody. He stressed that such actions cannot undermine the Kashmiri people’s “enduring commitment to realising their internationally recognised right to self-determination.”
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vided at Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Faisalabad stations, while an additional 48 stations would receive the facility by December 31 this year. An online freight booking system had also been launched, while a pilot project for a digital weighing bridge had begun at Karachi City Railway Station, with expansion planned for Pipri, Karachi Cantonment, Port Qasim, Lahore and Rawalpindi stations.”
At the Rawalpindi station, 148 AIpowered surveillance cameras had been installed, and ATM machines of various banks were being placed at major stations. Cleanliness services had been outsourced, and improved waiting areas had been established for passengers. Information desks had also been set up across stations for public facilitation. To improve the quality of food and beverages at stations, food authorities from all four provinces had been granted oversight access. The forum was told that four trains had already been outsourced, while tenders for outsourcing eleven more trains had been floated — a move expected to generate an additional Rs8.5 billion. Furthermore, 40 luggage and brake vans had been outsourced, projected to earn Rs820 million in extra revenue. Outsourcing of two cargo express trains was also underway and anticipated to add Rs6.3 billion in revenue. Work was also progressing on outsourcing railway hospitals in Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and Sukkur. Railway schools, colleges, rest houses and dry ports in Lahore, Islamabad and Azakhail were also in the outsourcing pipeline.
ECP bars media from early results as by-polls being held in 13 constituencies today ISLAMABAD
staff report
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Saturday directed the media to refrain from broadcasting or publishing unofficial results of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab by-elections until at least one hour after the close of polls, warning that premature reporting could mislead the public. The by-elections are scheduled for Sunday in 13 constituencies, including six National Assembly (NA) and seven Punjab Assembly (PA) seats. In its statement, the ECP emphasized that only Returning Officers are authorized to announce official results and any results released after the stipulated time must be clearly marked as unofficial and incomplete. Violations of these instructions, the commission said, would be referred to the relevant authorities for disciplinary action. The final results for all constituencies will solely be issued by the concerned Returning Officer. The ECP has finalized preparations for the Sunday by-elections, with extensive security and logistical arrangements in place to ensure transparent and orderly polling. The election campaign for these 13 National and Provincial Assembly
PTI’s Hammad Azhar cries foul at ‘missing Form 45’ ahead of NA-129 by-poll LAHORE
staff report
PTI leader Hammad Azhar on Saturday raised alarm over missing Form 45s from election material provided by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to presiding officers ahead of Sunday’s by-election in Lahore’s NA-129 constituency, calling it a “serious violation of the electoral process.” In a post on X, Hammad Azhar claimed that multiple presiding officers had reported missing Form 45s in the election materials received from the ECP.
constituencies concluded at midnight between November 21 and 22, and the commission reiterated that strict action would be taken against anyone violating the electoral code of conduct. Polling will be held on Sunday (Nov 23) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. without interruption. The district administration, in coordination with the Election Commission, has ensured comprehensive arrangements for logistics, transport, and
The by-election is being held after the seat fell vacant in July following the death of Azhar’s father, Mian Azhar. Earlier, he had issued “important instructions” to his party’s polling agents regarding the forms. “When the bags containing election materials are opened in the morning, make sure that the Forms 45 and Forms 46 in them are blank and shown to you. This is most important,” he said. Hammad emphasized the critical role of polling agents during both polling and counting processes.
security to facilitate a smooth voting process. For the National Assembly, voting will take place in NA-18 Haripur, NA-96 Faisalabad, NA104 Faisalabad, NA-129 Lahore, NA-143 Sahiwal, and NA-185 D.G. Khan, while the Punjab Assembly polls will be held in PP-73 Sargodha, PP-87 Mianwali, PP-98 Faisalabad, PP-115 Faisalabad, PP116 Faisalabad, PP-203 Sahiwal, and PP-269 Muzaffargarh.
Five IHC judges urge FCC to send judges transfer case back to SC ISLAMABAD
staff Correspondent
In an important development in the case of the transfer of three judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), five judges of the IHC filed a miscellaneous application in the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Saturday, praying to the court to send the case back to the Supreme Court (SC) for the hearing. The application was filed by IHC’s Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri. As per the text of the application, the case could not be transferred to the FCC and that it should be sent back to the apex court. The constitutional court is due to take up the case for the hearing on November 24. In the miscellaneous petition, the IHC judges asked the FCC to return the intra-court appeal to the SC, arguing that the matter constitutionally falls within the jurisdiction of the apex court. The petition stated that the appeal was shifted to the FCC under the 27th Constitutional Amendment but contended that the amendment itself contradicted the Constitution. In their application, the petitioners argued that the Constitution clearly outlined the legislature, executive, and judiciary as the three essential pillars of the state and delineated limits and powers for each. The judges maintained that while Parliament holds the authority to amend the Constitution, such powers could not be exercised to abolish, restructure, or fundamentally weaken the judiciary, which forms an integral component of the constitutional framework. They further asserted that several apex court judgments affirm the separation of powers and the protection of judicial independence, insisting that the appellate jurisdiction in such matters remained with the SC unless expressly provided otherwise without affecting the judiciary’s constitutional existence. The petition stressed that transferring the appeal to the FCC on the basis of the 27th Amendment was legally flawed since the amendment itself was under challenge for being inconsistent with the Constitution’s basic structure. With the new miscellaneous petition filed, the FCC is now expected to determine whether it can proceed with the appeal or whether the matter must be returned to the Supreme Court for adjudication.
KP CM seals Digital Payments Act 2025 to pioneer cashless economy in Pakistan PESHAWAR
staff report
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday approved the landmark Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Digital Payments Act 2025, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Pakistan aimed at establishing a modern, transparent, and technology-driven economic system across the province. The draft bill will be presented before the provincial cabinet for formal endorsement, positioning KP as the country’s pioneer in developing a comprehensive legal framework for a digital economy. Under the new law, all payment systems across government departments, businesses, and the service sector will be required to transition to QR code–based digital payments, streamlining financial transactions, enhancing transparency, and ensuring greater convenience for the public. In a significant relief for the previously undocumented sector, CM Afridi announced that for two years from the Act’s commencement, any digital payments received by newly registered business entities will not be used as a basis for imposing new direct sales tax liabilities. This measure is designed to encourage small and informal businesses to enter the formal economy without fear of immediate taxation.
Pakistan, EU vow closer trade, investment and maritime cooperation as Dar wraps up visit ISLAMABAD/BRUSSELS staff report
Pakistan and the European Union (EU) on Saturday reaffirmed the importance of deepening trade and investment ties, including through the EU’s GSP+ scheme, describing it as a key driver of sustainable growth, export diversification, job creation, and mutually beneficial economic opportunities, according to a Foreign Office (FO) statement. The announcement came as the 7th Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and the EU was held in Brussels, co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas. Pakistan enjoys, under the GSP+ status, duty-free or minimal-duty access for its exports to Europe, incentivizing sustainable development and good governance. The FO statement said the dialogue provided a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of Pakistan-EU relations, building on recent high-level engagements and institutional interactions. Both sides reaffirmed
their commitment to a broad-based, multidimensional, and forward-looking partnership anchored in shared values, the UN Charter, multilateralism, and principles of mutual respect and cooperation. “The dialogue also offered an opportunity to exchange views on regional and global developments, including South Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, and broader geopolitical trends,” the FO said, adding that both parties emphasized coordinated approaches to peace, stability, sustainable development, and global challenges such as climate change and connectivity. Pakistan and the EU also agreed to strengthen cooperation under the Strategic Engagement Plan, advance ongoing dialogues, and explore concrete avenues to expand collaboration in the coming years, the FO said. FM Dar later returned to Pakistan after concluding his visit, during which he held substantive discussions on peace, security, maritime safety, economic partnerships, and global sustainability initiatives, along with bilateral meetings with several counterparts and world leaders.
The GSP+ scheme requires implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labor rights, good governance, and environmental protection, while offering zero import duties on two-thirds of a developing country’s exports. EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis earlier this week urged Pakistan to fulfill its commitments under the scheme ahead of a review. Maritime Security Focus M Dar also highlighted critical maritime security, describing today’s maritime threats as “both multidimensional and transnational.” He noted threats ranging from piracy, terrorism, and trafficking of arms and narcotics to cyber vulnerabilities in port infrastructure, marine pollution, and climateinduced risks to coastal zones. Describing Pakistan as a littoral state with strategic access to key international sea lanes and the Arabian Sea, he called the region Pakistan’s “fifth neighbour,” emphasizing the Arabian Sea’s centrality to national security, connectivity, economic resilience, and food and energy security. He said ports from Karachi to Gwadar were vital gateways
linking landlocked Central Asia to the global trading system and stressed that maritime security and economic development are mutually reinforcing. Dar underlined the need for stronger cooperation in the maritime domain, enhanced awareness, information sharing, and early warning mechanisms. He called for secure,
resilient, and sustainable oceans built on trust, transparency, and adherence to international law. “Maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully in line with international law,” he said. He added that connectivity must be combined with resilience, diversification, and best practices to prevent regional disruptions from cascading globally.