National

Islamabad: The government has stopped providing the Pakistan Remittance Initiative subsidy, which reached Rs120 billion, saying the country’s financial difficulties make it impossible to continue the support under the current budget. Banks have agreed to absorb the related costs themselves to keep overseas Pakistanis sending money through official channels. The development puts the spotlight on the future of Pakistan’s remittance system, which depends heavily on money sent home by Pakistanis working abroad. The government had previously used subsidies to help banks facilitate these transfers, but curtailed that support last year. The Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue that the government had initially provided subsidies to banks under the Pakistan Remittance Initiative to facilitate remittances from overseas Pakistanis. The total subsidy provided by the government reached Rs120 billion. However, the financial pressure on the government has now made it difficult to continue paying this amount. The subsidy could not be continued in the current budget because of prevailing fiscal constraints. Instead, banks have decided to bear the costs linked to facilitating remittances from their own resources. The decision means that banks will continue providing the service to overseas Pakistanis even though the government can no longer provide the previous level of financial support. The Pakistan Remittance Initiative was discussed by the committee during its meeting at Parliament House in Islamabad on August 25, 2026, under the chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandviwalla. The committee considered the government’s decision important because remittances sent by Pakistanis living and working abroad are a major source of foreign currency for the country. The State Bank told the committee that banks decided to continue bearing the associated costs so that the flow of remittances would not be disrupted. The committee appreciated the banks’ decision but also decided to examine their actual performance. Selected banks will therefore be invited to the committee’s next meeting to explain their performance and contribution to the remittance sector. The move comes at a time when the government is facing tight financial conditions and has been forced to reduce or reconsider spending commitments. The end of the Rs120 billion subsidy raises an important question about how the remittance system will operate in the longer term if banks continue to carry the costs without government support. For millions of Pakistanis working overseas, remittances are an important way of supporting families at home. These transfers help families pay for everyday needs and also bring foreign currency into Pakistan. The government’s decision does not mean that the remittance service has stopped. Instead, banks have agreed to continue facilitating transfers while paying the related costs themselves. The Senate committee has now moved to check whether banks are fulfilling this responsibility effectively and whether overseas Pakistanis are receiving proper services. The next meeting is expected to provide the committee with a clearer picture of how banks are handling the change after the withdrawal of the government subsidy. The key issue remains whether banks can continue carrying the financial burden while maintaining an efficient and reliable remittance system for overseas Pakistanis. The Rs120 billion figure also shows the scale of government support previously used to encourage and facilitate remittances through the formal banking system.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Secretary of the Communist Party of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee He Zhongyou held a meeting in Urumqi and discussed ways to expand cooperation between Punjab and Xinjiang. The meeting focused on strengthening economic relations and developing greater collaboration in areas of mutual interest. During the meeting, Maryam Nawaz highlighted Punjab’s importance to Pakistan’s economy and agriculture. She said Punjab has the distinction of being the country’s “food basket” because of its major contribution to national food production. The chief minister said Punjab was keen to benefit from China’s experience, technology and expertise, particularly in sectors linked to agriculture and economic development. She proposed launching pilot projects in different parts of Punjab in cooperation with Chinese partners. According to the chief minister, such initiatives could help introduce modern practices and technologies while providing practical models that could later be expanded across the province. The discussions also covered opportunities for closer economic cooperation between Punjab and Xinjiang. Both sides expressed interest in strengthening institutional links and expanding collaboration in areas that can contribute to development and economic growth. Maryam Nawaz said cooperation with China could help Punjab improve productivity and make better use of modern technology. She also stressed the importance of developing partnerships that produce practical benefits for people and businesses. The meeting is part of Maryam Nawaz’s official visit to China, during which Punjab is seeking to strengthen ties with Chinese institutions and explore new areas of cooperation. Xinjiang’s experience in agriculture, infrastructure, water management and modernisation could provide opportunities for Punjab to develop joint projects and exchange expertise. The two sides also discussed the importance of maintaining regular engagement between Punjab and Xinjiang. Greater exchanges between officials, experts and business representatives could facilitate the transfer of knowledge and encourage new investment opportunities.

Islamabad: A major land controversy surrounding Sky Gardens, formerly known as Green Enclave II, has come under scrutiny after the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works was told that Rs5.4 billion had been released for development despite earlier warnings that disputed land could not be used for a housing project. The committee was further informed that around 2,600 kanals of land had now been physically retrieved from the private developer, with the administration marking the land and placing pillars at the site. The revelations have raised serious questions about how the project was approved, why a joint venture was signed despite official warnings, why development funds were released and why the withdrawal of a National Accountability Bureau no objection certificate in December 2023 was allegedly not brought before the committee earlier. The Senate committee, chaired by Senator Nasir Mehmood, took up the Green Enclave II and Sky Gardens matter during its meeting at Parliament House and decided to summon senior officials to explain how the disputed transactions and agreements took place. According to the briefing by NAB Director General Rizwan Khan, an inquiry into Green Enclave II, also known as Commerce Sky Gardens, was initiated on the basis of a Supreme Court judgment dated May 4, 2018. The central issue was the alleged conversion of Shamlaat land, which is common village land, into private land. NAB told the committee that the Supreme Court had placed a legal bar on the partition, construction and transfer of Shamlaat land and had declared such transactions illegal from the beginning. Despite this, more than 3,000 kanals in Moza Mengal were transferred to a private developer through two mutations in April 2018. The timing of these mutations became particularly controversial. NAB told the committee that the Supreme Court judgment came around 10 days after the mutations. The Naib Tehsildar Murree subsequently cancelled the mutations. However, after an appeal by the developer, the mutations were restored without following the required legal process, according to the NAB briefing. The issue did not end there. In April 2019, the Deputy Commissioner Murree wrote to the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) and warned that the land was ineligible for a housing project because of the Supreme Court judgment. Despite this warning, the FGEHA Executive Board signed a joint venture agreement with the developer on October 11, 2019. The committee was told that 4,086 kanals were subsequently transferred to FGEHA and that by 2023, Rs5.4 billion had been released to the private contractor for development. Another issue raised before the committee was that the same party that supplied the land was also given the development contract without bidding. This raised further questions about the way the project was structured and approved. The controversy deepened over the role of NAB and two separate addenda. NAB officials told the committee that FGEHA had assured NAB in 2022 that it would not develop the disputed Moza Mengal land and would instead shift the project to Moza Kathar, which was described as clear private land. Based on that understanding, NAB closed its inquiry concerning Moza Mengal in May 2022. But according to the NAB briefing, after receiving the closure letter, FGEHA signed another addendum and brought Moza Mengal back into the project. The situation became even more serious when development funds were released. NAB said that after it learned in October 2023 that Rs5.4 billion was being released for development, it withdrew its no objection certificate and reopened the inquiry on December 12, 2023. The committee chairman questioned why FGEHA had entered into an agreement for land that had already been declared problematic. He said that if a project’s foundation was flawed, the entire project would face problems. The committee also questioned why FGEHA did not issue a warning to the developer after NAB withdrew its no objection certificate in December 2023. The Housing Secretary told the committee that FGEHA had called its joint venture partner and warned that the agreement could be cancelled if the partner failed to provide land free from legal complications. But the chairman was not satisfied. He pointed out that the committee had previously been told the NAB matter was complete, while the latest briefing showed that NAB had withdrawn its letter in December 2023 and reopened the inquiry. The chairman said this was a major issue and indicated that the committee would not leave the matter without further investigation. The committee then turned to recovering the disputed land. Revenue Officer Umer Owais told the committee that approximately 2,600 kanals had been retrieved so far. He said the entire Shamlaat land in the area had been marked in the official record with a red entry, making it non transferable. The district’s land record had also been digitised, with Shamlaat holdings digitally blocked to prevent further transactions. The administration also claimed that the recovery was not limited to paperwork. A show cause notice was issued to the Sky Gardens management on January 27, 2026. The management submitted its response on February 9, but officials said the response was unlawful and lacked supporting proof. An order was issued on March 17, 2026, after which officials went to the site. The administration found earthwork taking place and physically took back the relevant land. Officials demarcated the area and installed pillars and markings to identify the recovered land. The recovery report was also submitted to police, according to the briefing. The Secretary Housing questioned why he had not been informed about the physical recovery when he had visited the Commissioner’s office around two weeks earlier. The revenue officer replied that the matter had been discussed informally and that officials had planned to brief FGEHA and the Housing Ministry together. The chairman said the central question was simple: if the land had never been transferred, the controversy would not have developed. He questioned the role of the revenue officials who allowed the transfer and placed responsibility on FGEHA for accepting the land despite the Supreme Court judgment and the Deputy Commissioner’s

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has expressed deep grief over the deaths of newborn babies in the fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. Bilawal said mothers carry their children for nine months and never expect them to become victims of negligence after birth. He described the deaths of the newborns as one of the most tragic incidents and said the parents, whose hopes were extinguished shortly after their children were born, were now seeking justice. “Those parents whose hopes were extinguished as soon as they were lit are helplessly demanding justice,” Bilawal said. He also criticised the government over what he described as failures in administration and management, saying innocent citizens were paying the price for institutional shortcomings. The tragedy occurred after a fire broke out in the nursery area of PIMS, resulting in the deaths of 15 newborn babies. The incident has triggered widespread grief and calls for accountability. According to an initial report prepared by the PIMS administration, an oxygen-related device near an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) reportedly burst, causing oxygen to catch fire. The report said the fire generated heavy smoke, which entered the babies’ breathing system through connected pipes. It stated that the infants died due to a combination of oxygen interruption, smoke exposure and burns. The initial findings indicated that the fire was initially limited but spread rapidly. However, officials have given different preliminary accounts regarding the cause of the fire. Rescue authorities and hospital officials initially said the blaze was linked to an air-conditioner compressor, while the hospital’s preliminary report pointed to an oxygen-related device. The presence of oxygen cylinders and equipment in the intensive care area reportedly contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. One newborn was reportedly rescued from the affected area. The tragedy has also raised questions about emergency response and the presence of staff in the nursery. Parents and eyewitnesses alleged that staff members were absent when the fire broke out and claimed that doors were closed, making evacuation more difficult. They also questioned the response time of rescue services. PIMS Executive Director rejected the allegation that staff were absent from the intensive care unit. He said two doctors, four nurses and other staff members were present in the ICU when the incident occurred. He also maintained that the hospital had an adequate fire safety system. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) also said its rescue teams reached the hospital promptly after receiving information about the fire. According to the authority, the teams brought the blaze under control and shifted the affected children to the intensive care unit. Meanwhile, the bodies of the infants who died in the tragedy have been handed over to their families. The incident has prompted authorities to launch a formal investigation. The district administration has constituted an eight-member inquiry committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the fire. The committee has been directed to submit its findings within 24 hours. Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has also offered himself for accountability over the incident and said no person found responsible for negligence would be spared. The conflicting preliminary accounts about the cause of the fire, along with allegations concerning staffing and emergency response, are expected to be examined by the inquiry committee.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and Member of the National Assembly Shazia Marri has strongly criticised the federal government over the deaths of newborn babies in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) fire, calling the incident a serious example of administrative negligence. In a statement, Marri said innocent children had lost their lives, yet no one appeared to be taking responsibility for the tragedy. She alleged that ordinary citizens were paying the price for what she described as incompetence and poor management by the federal government. Marri demanded that those responsible for the incident be identified and proceeded against according to the law. She questioned the federal health minister’s position, asking what justification there was for remaining in office if the minister could not ensure the safety and proper administration of a major government hospital. The PPP leader said the deaths of newborns could not simply be dismissed as an accident while ignoring possible administrative failures. She called for a transparent and impartial investigation into the PIMS fire and urged authorities to determine whether negligence or shortcomings in hospital management contributed to the loss of lives. Marri also questioned the hospital’s fire safety arrangements and emergency response. She asked where the required safety measures were when the fire broke out and why immediate rescue and emergency procedures could not prevent the deaths. The PPP leader demanded strict legal action against anyone found responsible following the investigation. She said the federal government should accept responsibility for the incident and ensure justice for the families who lost their children. Marri described the loss of innocent lives as irreparable and said those found guilty of negligence should not be given any concession. Her remarks came amid widespread public anger following the PIMS tragedy, which has prompted demands for accountability, improved fire safety systems and stronger emergency preparedness at government hospitals.