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Islamabad Inaugurates Its First Fully Cashless Weekly Bazaar

ISLAMABAD: Another significant milestone has been achieved in the mission to transform the Federal Capital, Islamabad, into a cashless and digital City. Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Muhammad Ali Randhawa, inaugurated Pakistan’s first designated cashless weekly bazaar in Sector H-9 on Friday.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Member Finance Tahir Naeem, Chief Officer MCI Dr. Anam Fatima, CEO Zindigi Noman Azhar, senior officers from the State Bank of Pakistan, CDA, district administration and a large number of customers and merchants.

It is important to highlight that a fully cashless system has been formally implemented in the weekly bazaar of Sector H-9, Islamabad. Chairman CDA reviewed the digital payment system at the Sector H-9 weekly bazaar in detail. Accompanied by the Member Finance and the Chief Officer MCI, he also made payments at various stalls in the Sector H-9 bazaar using the cashless method.

During a briefing on this occasion, Chairman CDA was apprised that special discounts are being offered to consumers/citizens for payments made through digital methods. He was further informed that the cashless system is also being introduced across all commercial centers and shopping centers of the city, including hospitals, hotels, restaurants and the Islamabad Airport as well.

Chairman CDA appreciated the efforts of the MCI, Islamabad administration, Zindigi’s team, representatives of central and commercial banks, and said that this excellent initiative has been launched in line with the vision of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif and the Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, keeping in view the facilitation of citizens and consumers.

Chairman CDA said that the objective of these measures is to make Islamabad Pakistan’s first cashless and digital city. He said that the cashless system will not only adopt an e-governance model but will also provide the public with easy, secure, fast and highly transparent payment facilities.

Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa said that this system will not only ease transactions for citizens/consumers but will also promote a cashless economy in the capital city, Islamabad. He added that for the success of this modern system, banks will need to provide maximum facilities and concessions to both consumers and traders.

Chairman CDA directed the bazaar management to ensure that the licenses and price lists of all stall holders are prominently displayed on digital boards. He also instructed them to run a comprehensive public awareness campaign regarding the cashless system.

Chairman CDA also informed the citizens and customers who had come for shopping at the Sector H-9 bazaar about the benefits of cashless transactions. He said that the primary goal of implementing the cashless system and digital payments is to provide equal benefits to both citizens and merchants.

Chairman CDA emphasized that the aim of these measures is to secure all kinds of financial transactions for citizens through the cashless and digital system and to protect them from fraud and deception. He noted that the successful implementation of the cashless system in the Sector H-9 weekly bazaar is the result of the combined efforts of all stakeholders.

Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa said that these measures are extremely necessary for achieving the objectives of making Islamabad an international city. He further added, “Let us all join hands to bring this historic initiative to its full implementation across Islamabad and make our capital a fully cashless and digital City.”

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Pakistani Students’ UK Visa Delays Raised by Azam Nazeer Tarar with British High Commissioner

Azam Nazeer Tarar with UK High Commissioner

ISLAMABAD: British High Commissioner Jane Marriott called on Federal Minister for Law & Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar. The meeting discussed Pakistan-UK bilateral relations, matters of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, the Federal Minister raised the issue of delays in UK visas for Pakistani students and conveyed the Government of Pakistan’s concern to the British High Commissioner.

Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar said that hundreds of Pakistani students were facing difficulties due to delays in visa processing, with a risk that the delays could result in the loss of their academic year. He stressed the need to remove obstacles faced by Pakistani students seeking education abroad and facilitate them in this regard.

The Federal Minister briefed the British High Commissioner that, on the directives of the Prime Minister, a committee under his chairmanship was working to improve the legal and institutional framework concerning Pakistani students studying abroad.

He further informed the High Commissioner that, on the Prime Minister’s directives, the committee had finalized its recommendations on the matter, and work was underway to further improve the legal and institutional framework for Pakistani students pursuing education abroad.

The Federal Minister said that the legal and institutional framework for Pakistani students seeking education abroad was being improved to develop an effective mechanism for addressing the issues faced by students.

British High Commissioner Jane Marriott assured the Federal Minister that the issue of delays in visas for Pakistani students would be addressed.

The meeting also discussed further strengthening educational linkages between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, as well as enhancing institutional cooperation and engagement between the two countries.

Minister of State for Law, Justice and Human Rights Barrister Aqeel Malik was also present during the meeting.

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Naqvi Sets September 30 Deadline for Completion of Islamabad Safe City Expansion

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accompanied by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, visited the Islamabad Safe City Headquarters on Friday and chaired a special meeting to review progress on the Safe City Expansion Project, directing officials to complete the ambitious initiative by September 30.

During the briefing, officials informed the minister that overall work on the expansion project has reached 85 percent completion. Installation of the new surveillance network is also 85 percent complete, while 415 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid to support the upgraded system. Work on the data centre, cyber architecture, and cybersecurity infrastructure has also reached approximately 80 percent completion.

Expressing satisfaction over the pace of work, Naqvi stressed that the remaining tasks must be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

He said the government’s vision is to transform the Islamabad Safe City into a modern, smart, and world-class institution comparable to those in developed countries.

The interior minister said the technologically advanced Safe City system would significantly strengthen public safety through enhanced surveillance, effective monitoring, and rapid emergency response capabilities.

He noted that the project would play a vital role in improving law enforcement efficiency and ensuring better security for residents of the federal capital.

Naqvi also assigned officials the task of completing the state-of-the-art Fusion Centre within the next three months, describing it as a critical component of the upgraded Safe City network.

He further directed the relevant authorities to finalise the Safe City Bill at the earliest and present it before the National Assembly without delay to provide the legal framework necessary for the project’s long-term operation and expansion.

The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary for Interior, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), senior Safe City officials, and other relevant officers, who briefed the minister on the progress and future roadmap of the expansion project.

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PM Shehbaz, high-level delegation perform Umrah; pray for country’s progress

MAKKAH AL-MUKARRAMAH: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, along with his high-level delegation, performed Umrah here on Friday.

He was accompanied by his delegation including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Attaullah Tarar, and Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi.

The door of Khana Kaaba was opened specially for the prime minister and his delegation.

Following the completion of the Umrah rituals, the prime minister, field marshal, and other members of the Pakistani delegation offered special prayers for the progress and prosperity of the country, the safety and unity of the Muslim Ummah, and for regional and global peace.

The prime minister arrived in Jeddah on Thursday evening for a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Besides meeting with his Saudi counterpart, he will also pay a visit to the Roze-e-Rasool (PBUH) in Madinah.