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PM SHEHBAZ PITCHES CHINA MODEL TO ACCELERATE PAKISTAN’S GROWTH
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Tuesday, 20 January, 2026 | 30 Rajabul Murajjab, 1447
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XVI No 196 | 8 Pages | Karachi Edition
PM HIGHLIGHTS UNTAPPED POTENTIAL g SAYS MODERN TECHNOLOGIES AND WATER MANAGEMENT KEY TO BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY OF PAKISTAN’S AGRICULTURE SECTOR URGES COLLABORATION WITH CHINA TO ENHANCE EXPERTISE AND VALUE CHAINS
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ISLAMABAD
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CALLS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH COORDINATION ACROSS GOVERNMENT, FARMERS AND SCIENTISTS
Mian abrar
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that Pakistan, essentially an agrarian economy, held immense and largely untapped potential in agriculture and can transform its agrisector not in years, but in months by adopting modern technologies, improving productivity and strengthening cooperation with China. Addressing the Pakistan–China Agri Investment Conference here, the prime minister noted that nearly 65% of Pakistan’s population still lives and works in rural areas, with agriculture remaining the backbone of the national economy. He stressed the need to enhance per-acre yield through modern techniques, efficient water management and optimal use of limited land resources. The prime minister said sustainable growth in agriculture required coordinated efforts by the federal and provincial governments, the farming community, and scientists and researchers. He underlined the importance of deciding what to grow and export, developing value chains, cold storage, warehousing and value addition to make Pakistani agricultural produce globally competitive. He described Beijing as a friend who had stood by Pakistan through thick and thin and said China had never
hesitated in sharing expertise and advanced technologies. He said the dispatch of 1,000 Pakistani graduates, selected on merit, to leading Chinese agricultural universities and research centres was a landmark initiative of the federal government. He said the trained graduates had returned and would now help farmers improve quality, productivity and value addition. Welcoming remarks by Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, the prime minister praised China’s achievements in agriculture, IT and AI, efficiency in manufacturing, and export competitiveness. He said Pakistan must aim to gen-
LHC dismisses NAB petitions against PM Shehbaz, CM Maryam as infructuous LAHORE
staff Correspondent
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday disposed of petitions filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz after declaring them infructuous in view of their earlier acquittals in the respective corruption references. A two-member bench headed by Justice Amjad Rafiq heard the petitions during separate proceedings. Representing NAB, Prosecutor Waris Ali Janjua informed the court that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had already been acquitted in 2023 in both the Ashiana Housing Reference and the Ramzan Sugar Mills Reference. He submitted that, following these acquittals, the petition filed by NAB no longer held any legal relevance. Accepting the prosecutor’s submission, the court disposed of the petition. NAB Lahore had filed the plea in 2020, seeking the return of Shehbaz Sharif from abroad to face proceedings in the references, which have since concluded in his favour. In a separate hearing, the same bench took up a petition filed by the NAB chairman against Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Senior Prosecutor Janjua told the court that Maryam Nawaz had already been acquitted in the relevant NAB case, rendering the petition ineffective and devoid of any practical purpose. The court subsequently disposed of the petition as infructuous. It is noteworthy that the LHC had earlier granted bail to Maryam Nawaz in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills case and ordered her release, while NAB had approached the court in March 2021 seeking cancellation of her bail.
erate a trade surplus in agriculture through higher yields, competitive costs and superior quality, with Chinese experts providing support. Referring to improving economic indicators, he said inflation had fallen to 4.5 per cent, the policy rate to 10.5 per cent, and exports were rising, adding that Pakistan must now shift decisively towards growth. The prime minister also reiterated hope that President Xi Jinping will visit Pakistan soon and said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC 2.0) would be a new chapter, focusing on agriculture, IT, AI, mines and minerals, and youth development.
Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong on the occasion said China wanted to increase the bilateral agriculture trade volume up to $1 billion with Pakistan achieving trade surplus. He said, he was delighted to see that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s economy grew by over 3 per cent last year and recorded a growth rate of 3.7 per cent in the first quarter of the current year. He noted that many key economic indicators were showing improvement, with inflation easing to around 4 per cent. He said China was deepening coordination under bilateral action plans and was ready to continue cooperation with Pakistan, particularly prioritising technologydriven agricultural development. He added that China aimed to stabilise bilateral trade at around one billion dollars while maintaining Pakistan’s trade surplus with China. Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said that Pakistan remained fully committed to strengthening its strategic economic partnership with China by providing a conducive and investor-friendly environment, particularly in the agriculture and food security sectors. He said the Ministry of National Food Security and Research stood fully committed to supporting Chinese investors, from facilitating regulatory processes to ensuring seamless coordination with all relevant government bodies.
Consensus ‘reached’ to appoint Raja Nasir Abbas as Senate opposition leader ISLAMABAD
staff report
The treasury and opposition benches have reached a consensus to appoint Majlis Wahdat-eMuslimeen (MWM) chief Senator Allama Raja Nasir Abbas as the leader of the opposition in the Senate, Pakistan Tehreek-eInsaf (PTI) leader Barrister Ali Zafar confirmed on Monday. The appointment follows the recent selection of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai as leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, marking a significant step in completing par-
liamentary leadership positions. Speaking to the media, Zafar said the decision came after consultations between Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani and senators from both the treasury and opposition benches. Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar also confirmed that a formal notification regarding the appointment was being issued. The post had remained vacant since August 2025, when thenopposition leader Shibli Faraz was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) following his conviction in cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots. Earlier, the PTI parliamen-
tary leader in the Senate had submitted a letter to the Senate chairman recommending the MWM chief for the position and urging his immediate appointment. Barrister Zafar highlighted the importance of the opposition leader’s role, saying it is crucial for effective governance, constitutional oversight, and the proper functioning of Pakistan’s parliamentary democracy. He added that the prolonged vacancy of the office had left the Senate institutionally incomplete, underlining the necessity of filling the position to ensure transparency and accountability within the upper house of parliament.
Govt approves Hajj Policy 2026, confirms quota of 179,210 pilgrims ISLAMABAD
staff Correspondent
The federal government has finalised and approved an “effective and comprehensive” Hajj Policy 2026 in line with guidelines issued by Saudi Arabia, Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf said on Monday, confirming Pakistan’s Hajj quota at 179,210 pilgrims. Speaking in a podcast interview with Radio Pakistan’s News and Current Affairs Channel, the minister said around 120,000 Pakistani pilgrims would perform Hajj under the government scheme, while approximately 60,000 would go through private Hajj operators. He added that nationwide preparations were already underway, with mandatory training sessions for intending pilgrims being conducted across various districts to ensure better awareness and smoother arrangements during the pilgrimage. Yousaf said nearly 38,000 pilgrims would depart from Islamabad under the “Road to Makkah” project, a facility that streamlines immigration procedures in Pakistan before departure. Currently operational in Islamabad and Karachi, efforts were underway to extend the initiative to Lahore in order to facilitate a larger number of pilgrims. Highlighting broader responsibilities of his ministry, the minister said the Ministry of Religious Affairs was also actively working to promote interfaith harmony and national cohesion by providing an inclusive platform for all religious communities in the country. He stressed that Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees equal rights to minorities and that the government remained committed to safeguarding those rights in both policy and practice. He said the government provided scholarships to children belonging to minority communities, allocated funds for the rehabilitation and protection of their places of worship, and extended financial assistance to deserving individuals. In addition, minorities benefited from reserved job quotas and representation in parliament, reflecting the state’s commitment to inclusive governance, he added. Placing the issue in a regional context, Yousaf expressed concern over what he described as hardships faced by religious communities in India. He referred to incidents of vandalism and ransacking reported during Christmas celebrations in India in December last year, saying such developments underscored the need for greater respect for religious freedoms in the region. The minister also revealed that his ministry had introduced a new centralised system to better organise pilgrimages by Zaireen to holy sites in Iran and Iraq, aimed at improving management, transparency and security for Pakistani pilgrims undertaking these journeys.
FM Dar holds talks with Saudi, Egyptian counterparts on bilateral ties, regional developments ISLAMABAD
staff report
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held separate discussions on Monday with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty and the
United Kingdom’s High Commissioner Jane Marriott, focusing on strengthening bilateral relations, regional stability, and ongoing international developments. During his meeting with the UK High Commissioner at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, DPM Dar and Marriott highlighted the importance of frequent exchanges between Pakistan and the United
Kingdom and explored avenues to further enhance bilateral cooperation. Regional issues and key global developments were also part of the discussion, according to a statement from the DPM’s office. In a separate conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the two leaders reviewed regional developments and discussed opportunities for
deeper bilateral collaboration. Both officials expressed their intention to continue the dialogue during the upcoming World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the Foreign Office spokesperson said. DPM Dar also spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr Abdelatty, focusing on recent regional developments and ongoing bilateral and multilateral matters.
Gul Plaza fire toll rises to 26 as outrage grows over rescue failures KARACHI
staff report
The death toll from the devastating fire at Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping centre rose to 26 on Monday after rescue teams recovered two more bodies, including that of a child, as anger mounted over safety lapses and the pace of rescue operations. According to a help desk established by the Sindh government, the number of missing persons has climbed to 76 after three additional names were added. Police officials, however, said figures were fluctuating as identification and tracing continued. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Asad Raza confirmed that one of the newly identified victims was Tanveer Ahmed Khan, a resident of Korangi 4 who worked as a salesman at Gul Plaza. His identification was verified through an identity card after he had earlier been listed among the missing. An information desk has been set up outside the Civil Hospital Karachi morgue, where families of missing persons are providing details such as clothing, physical
characteristics and birthmarks. Authorities are also collecting blood samples from relatives to assist with DNA identification. Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said DNA samples had so far been taken from seven bodies, while samples from 38 relatives had been collected. She noted that identification remained difficult in several cases due to the severely burned condition of the bodies and urged families of missing persons to submit DNA samples. Fire brigade officials said rescue operations on the first floor of the building had been completed and teams had entered the second floor. However, they later confirmed that the fire reignited on the third floor, temporarily hampering rescue and firefighting efforts. DIG Raza said six bodies had so far been formally identified, while others would only be identified after DNA testing. He added that the last known location of 32 missing individuals was traced to Gul Plaza and that the surrounding area, including Rimpa Plaza, was under control. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab visited the site and was briefed by the District South
deputy commissioner and the chief fire officer. He said 18 bodies had been identified so far, while 65 people were still reported missing at that stage. Large crowds gathered near the damaged building, with many attempting to enter the premises and staging protests demanding justice for the victims. Authorities deployed additional police to disperse the crowd, warning that several pillars of the fire-damaged structure had weakened and could collapse at any time. The fire broke out late Saturday night at the multi-storey Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi’s business district and burned for more than 24 hours, severely complicating rescue operations in the densely populated area. Firefighters later moved to cooling and debris-clearing, amid fears that more victims could still be trapped inside. Fire officials said poor ventilation inside the building, which houses more than 1,200 shops, caused thick smoke to engulf the structure and delayed access to trapped individuals. Parts of the building collapsed, prompting criticism over alleged shortcomings in emergency response.
Gul Plaza inferno sparks political storm as MQM-P seeks judicial probe KARACHI
staff report
The deadly Gul Plaza fire has triggered a sharp political confrontation in Sindh, with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) demanding a judicial inquiry into the blaze that has claimed at least 26 lives, accusing the provincial government of gross negligence and systemic failure in enforcing safety laws. As the death toll continued to climb on Monday after rescue teams extinguished the fire following nearly 33 hours of relentless efforts, MQM-P leaders intensified their criticism of the Sindh government. The fire erupted late Saturday at the multistorey Gul Plaza shopping centre in Karachi’s congested business district, causing partial structural collapse and trapping
people inside. Rescuers were forced to cut through windows and demolish walls to reach victims amid smoke and debris. Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi said the tragedy had laid bare what he termed the failure of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s 17-year rule in the province. Speaking to journalists outside the assembly, he said the “imaginary image” of Sindh projected in Islamabad had been exposed by repeated fatal incidents. Referring to public anger and protests at the site, he said the ruling party was adept at showcasing achievements through presentations but unwilling to accept responsibility when disasters struck. MQM-P lawmakers staged a protest inside the Sindh Assembly, chanting slogans against the government near the speaker’s dais before walking out of the session.