NA body slams awarding accreditation to various institutions by NAVTTC
The committee criticized on awarding accreditation to various institutions by NAVTTC, stating that the renewal, monitoring, and implementation mechanisms are unsatisfactory and require immediate reform. Members emphasized the need for stricter scrutiny of accredited institutions to ensure compliance with established standards.
On the matter of employee's regularization, the committee adopted a clear position that no employee should be excluded from the regularization process. This includes contract employees of the Pakistan Madrassah Education Board (PMEB) who have served for 15 years, daily-wage teachers and lecturers in Islamabad Model Colleges, and staff of the National Institute of Science and Technical Education/National Skills University awaiting reinstatement or regularization.
Due to the committee's persistent efforts, a cabinet committee has been formed to address these issues, which has now forwarded the matter to Parliament for necessary legislation.
The Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) briefed the committee on its mandate to protect and preserve Pakistan's cultural heritage. Currently, DOAM maintains oversight of 407 nationally protected archaeological sites and monuments, with six located within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The department operates 14 museums across the country and maintains active partnerships with international bodies including UNESCO and the International Council of Museums (ICOM).
DOAM highlighted significant accomplishments, particularly the successful recovery of 1,125 illegally trafficked antiquities through coordinated efforts with authorities in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Italy. The department also reported substantial progress on key conservation initiatives, including the restoration of Rewat Fort and Shah Allah Ditta Caves.
Committee members, unanimously, affirmed their support for DOAM's ongoing efforts, and ensured its support in addressing the institutional challenges of limited budgetary allocations for museum modernisation and critical staffing shortages. The committee, particularly, emphasised that the preservation of these heritage assets remains fundamental to safeguarding Pakistan's civilisational identity and projecting the nation's rich cultural legacy.
The committee received a briefing about the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE), which was created following Pakistan's 18th constitutional amendment. The PIE serves as the central hub for education data management, performing three key roles: harmonising provincial education data through its MIS Wing, administering nationwide assessments, and generating research to guide policymaking.
The institute works to improve education data reliability, facilitate SDG-4 monitoring, and identify out-of-school children. Through collaborations with UNESCO, LUMS and other partners, PIE enhances data-driven policy formulation for Pakistan's education sector.
The meeting was attended by MNA's including Dr AzimudDin Zahid Lakhvi, Anjum Aqeel Khan, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Farah Naz Akbar (Parliamentary Secretary), Mussarat Asif Khwaja, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Abdul Aleem Khan, Sabheen Ghoury, Dawar Khan Kundi, Fiaz Hussain, Muhammad Aslam Ghumman, Wajiha Qamar and Muhammad Moin Aamer Pirzada.
The meeting was also attended by officials of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other officers concerned.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
NA body slams awarding accreditation to various institutions by NAVTTC
ISLAMABAD: The 15th Meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Federal Education, Professional Training, National Heritage and Culture was held under the chairmanship of Dr Azim Uddin Zahid Lakhvi on Friday. The committee criticized on awarding accreditation to various institutions by NAVTTC, stating that the renewal, monitoring, and implementation mechanisms are unsatisfactory and require immediate reform. Members emphasized the need for stricter scrutiny of accredited institutions to ensure compliance with established standards. On the matter of employee's regularization, the committee adopted a clear position that no employee should be excluded from the regularization process. This includes contract employees of the Pakistan Madrassah Education Board (PMEB) who have served for 15 years, daily-wage teachers and lecturers in Islamabad Model Colleges, and staff of the National Institute of Science and Technical Education/National Skills University awaiting reinstatement or regularization. Due to the committee's persistent efforts, a cabinet committee has been formed to address these issues, which has now forwarded the matter to Parliament for necessary legislation. The Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) briefed the committee on its mandate to protect and preserve Pakistan's cultural heritage. Currently, DOAM maintains oversight of 407 nationally protected archaeological sites and monuments, with six located within the Islamabad Capital Territory. The department operates 14 museums across the country and maintains active partnerships with international bodies including UNESCO and the International Council of Museums (ICOM). DOAM highlighted significant accomplishments, particularly the successful recovery of 1,125 illegally trafficked antiquities through coordinated efforts with authorities in the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Italy. The department also reported substantial progress on key conservation initiatives, including the restoration of Rewat Fort and Shah Allah Ditta Caves. Committee members, unanimously, affirmed their support for DOAM's ongoing efforts, and ensured its support in addressing the institutional challenges of limited budgetary allocations for museum modernisation and critical staffing shortages. The committee, particularly, emphasised that the preservation of these heritage assets remains fundamental to safeguarding Pakistan's civilisational identity and projecting the nation's rich cultural legacy. The committee received a briefing about the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE), which was created following Pakistan's 18th constitutional amendment. The PIE serves as the central hub for education data management, performing three key roles: harmonising provincial education data through its MIS Wing, administering nationwide assessments, and generating research to guide policymaking. The institute works to improve education data reliability, facilitate SDG-4 monitoring, and identify out-of-school children. Through collaborations with UNESCO, LUMS and other partners, PIE enhances data-driven policy formulation for Pakistan's education sector. The meeting was attended by MNA's including Dr AzimudDin Zahid Lakhvi, Anjum Aqeel Khan, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, Farah Naz Akbar (Parliamentary Secretary), Mussarat Asif Khwaja, Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Abdul Aleem Khan, Sabheen Ghoury, Dawar Khan Kundi, Fiaz Hussain, Muhammad Aslam Ghumman, Wajiha Qamar and Muhammad Moin Aamer Pirzada. The meeting was also attended by officials of Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and other officers concerned. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
22-07-2025
- Business Recorder
Pakistan's parched future: bonds to bridge the water funding chasm
As the monsoons arrive, once again, Pakistan is facing a water crisis, shifting from drought-like scenarios to the threat of a flood. The seasonal threat is no longer creeping but ferocious. As seasonal relief in monsoon showers may seem to provide, the bitter truth remains the same: our water security is falling, drop after drop, each passing year. Where once favoured with powerful rivers and glacial flows, present-day Pakistan is a water-scarce nation. Water availability on a head-per-capita basis has crashed down to 800–1,017 cubic meters from 5,260 in 1951. By 2035, we could dip below 500–660 cubic meters, a threshold of pure scarcity, while UNDP predicts extreme scarcity below 500 cubic meters in 2025. This is no future prospect; it is present in the dried-out canals in Punjab, Sindh's saline groundwater, drop in water tables in Balochistan, and failing supply lines in main cities like Karachi and Lahore. But behind the green disaster is the less spoken but no less lethal, twin disaster: the disparity between what we need to pay for water security and what we pay. The cost of inaction Pakistan's water economy is bleeding. Analyst estimates and official sources put inefficiencies, climate-related disasters, and old infrastructure at Rs3-4 trillion every year, about 3–4 percent of GDP. The losses occur due to floods, droughts, inefficient irrigation, and crumbling infrastructure. Agriculture, which accounts for more than 90 percent of usable water, loses on conveyance estimated at between 40–60 percent, endangering both productivity and rural livelihoods. Consider, for example, a rural Punjabi smallholder, Abdul Rehman. During the lean season, his wheat crop shriveled for lack of water as irrigation canals dried up, prompting him to sell livestock to make ends meet. Just as in lower Sindh, Ghulam Mustafa encountered an almost identical ordeal in May-June this year; he was waiting for water to begin kharif planting amidst water scarcity. The Indus reduced significantly by the time it flowed to his distributary because of downstream restrains added to existing upstream problems, slowing down and dwindling the stream. By the time water flowed back, as well, it was in vain, the sowing period was gone and his debts increased. Such incidents are not unique. Along the coasts in Sindh, advancing seawater engulfs arable lands as flows of freshwater fail to trickle down to the delta, making previously fertile patches near Thatta and Sujawal desolate areas. Across central and southern Punjab, numerous Rabi growers watched their wheat crop drought for insufficient final irrigations in February just months before harvesting, owing to paucity of water. Across cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Multan, and Quetta, damaged water infrastructure compelled families to rely on costly and sometimes hazardous tanker supplies. The World Bank warned that unabated disruptions would shave an estimated 6 percent of the GDP until mid-decade, long-term estimates could be 10 percent until 2050, or even 18-20 percent because of broader climate damage. The flood damage in 2022 alone was estimated at Rs3.2 trillion, sweeping away homes, crops, and livelihoods. Yet investment hasn't caught up. Why the gap persists The 2018 National Water Policy (NWP) had set a humble target: 10 percent of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) should be for water in 2019, increasing to 20 percent in 2030. We still aren't achieving even the baseline. Present federal PSDP allocations are around 9.5 percent, national water expenditures, across federal and provincial governments, are a mere Rs380–400 billion in FY2025–26, less than 0.3 percent of GDP. Although mega-projects such as Mohmand Dam (Rs35.7 billion) and Diamer-Bhasha (Rs25 billion) are separately funded, the aggregate amount remains inadequate. Provincial budgets are no different. Punjab allocated Rs38 billion for irrigation, Sindh Rs31 billion, KP Rs25.1 billion, and Balochistan Rs32 billion (inclusive of foreign-aided schemes). The figures are humble for a sector for which provinces are the sole operator for canal operations, water distribution, and urban supply. Much of the gap lies in the larger fiscal constraint in Pakistan: debt servicing accounts for more than 20 percent of the federal budget. With IMF austerity, restricted fiscal space, and increasing rivalry from defense, subsidies, and social protection, long-gestation infrastructure initiatives end up on the casualty list. The federal PSDP for water for the next financial year is down by more than 25 percent to Rs185 billion in FY2024–25. Dams receive Rs63.3 billion, canals Rs39.3 billion—the figures 10–15 percent below previous years in real terms. This reduction threatens to trap us in a vicious cycle of postponed upkeep and exposure. Enter: Pakistan Water Bonds In this dismal fiscal context, one idea offers a way out: Water Bonds. These are structured financial instruments that raise dedicated capital for water-related infrastructure and services, independent of the donor cycle or the vagaries of annual PSDP allocations. They are not untested. In 2021, WAPDA raised USD500 million through a Green Eurobond, oversubscribed six times. More recently, the Parwaaz Green Action Bond raised Rs1 billion with a strong AA–rating, while the federal government's Green Sukuk in May 2025 brought in Rs32 billion, testifying to strong investor appetite. Pakistan's Islamic finance market, which is estimated to hold Rs7 trillion in deposits (close to 20 percent of the banking network), is waiting for innovation. The Water Bonds, in the name of green sukuks, can exploit this resource pool and provide 10–12 percent yields while conforming to ethical investment paradigms. They can be traded on home exchanges and can appeal to pension funds, insurance, and even microfinance institutions. The diaspora dividend Arguably, the most promising and emotionally resonant source of capital lies in the Pakistani diaspora. Remittances totaled USD35 billion in FY2025, and the Roshan Digital Account (RDA) mobilized over USD10 billion in just a few years. Overseas Pakistanis have shown that they are willing to invest if credible, transparent, and purpose-driven instruments exist. Green Diaspora Water Sukuk issued in dollars, pounds, or euros would potentially raise USD250–500 million if only 2–3 percent of RDA investors buy in. Such bonds could fund filtration plants, desalination facilities, rainwater harvesting, and pipeline improvements in the very towns where their loved ones live. Picture a Pakistani doctor in the United States funding a desalination plant back in his hometown in Sindh—it would not only provide him 6–8 percent returns but ensure that future generations also drink clean water. With sovereign backing, ESG reporting, and zakat-associated functionalities, such bonds could blend moral responsibility with financial sense. These diaspora flows could unlock matching contributions from development institutions such as the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, or the IFC, much like ADB's recentUSD500 million commitment for water resilience. Making it work: a phased roadmap But it won't happen without a phased, strategic roadmap. A Rs100 billion pilot bond in 2025 would aim for low-hanging fruit: wastewater treatment (national efficiency <1 percent) and flood irrigation and unlined channels (up to 60 percent loss of applied water). In 2026–27, scaling could be Rs 560 billion for storage, urban networks, and flood control. By 2030, an additional Rs400–580 billion could be spent on precision agriculture, desalination, and AI-based metering. These initiatives would need to be aligned with the existing water-sector project in the PSDP, worth Rs424 billion but stalled because not adequately funded. Transparency, not just tranches Naturally, finance alone is not a panacea. Diaspora and private investors need reassurance. Transparency must be ingrained through blockchain-powered audit trails, third-party audits, and exchange listing on the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Volumetric water pricing against cross-subsidies, sovereign guarantees, and municipal-level credit enhancements will be imperative. The Council of Common Interests must be empowered to offer interprovincial oversight and break political impasses. Although Pakistan's credit rating is a concern, Fitch's upgrade in the near term and IMF criteria hold promise. The OECD's Asia Capital Markets Report 2025 points to unprecedented growth in sustainable bonds but cites challenges in new markets such as Pakistan, such as regulatory barriers and investor awareness, underlining the imperative for sound frameworks. A bond for our future Our water shortage is reality. But so is our capacity for innovation. We have capital. We have policy frameworks. What we lack is urgency and vision. Water Bonds provide something beyond dollars. They provide a trustworthy, long-term financing tool to pay for the singular most important determinant of our survival: water. Let's not wait for the next flood, the next drought to teach us lessons we know all too well. The moment to act is today. Let's construct our water future, bond for bond, drop for drop. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Renowned Urdu humorist remembered
A distinguished literary session was held under the auspices of the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) in memory of the legendary Urdu writer, humourist, broadcaster and diplomat, Syed Ahmad Shah Patras Bokhari. The ceremony also marked the formal inauguration of PAL's newly renovated conference hall by Senator Irfan Siddiqui. The guests spoke about Patras Bokhari's legacy as well as the importance of literary institutions like PAL. The event took place at PAL's head office on Patras Bokhari Road, Islamabad, and was presided over by prominent scholar, writer and Senator Irfan Siddiqui, while the Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, graced the occasion as the chief guest. National Heritage and Culture Parliamentary Secretary Farah Naz Akbar and Secretary Asad Rehman Gilani, attended as guests of honour. This unique event comprised two especially notable segments. The first was a theatrical adaptation of Patras Bokhari's famous essay "Sowere Jo Kal Aankh Meri Khuli", performed artistically by Swaang Theatre, which received high praise from the audience. The performance so moved Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khichi that he announced a special reward for the troupe on the spot. The second highlight was an engaging dialogue session between Dr Farrukh Nadeem and Ayaz Bokhari, grandson of Patras Bokhari. The conversation offered valuable insights into Patras Bokhari's personality, his literary genius and diplomatic endeavours. Documentaries on Bokhari's distinguished life journey were also presented. Senator Irfan Siddiqui offered a comparative analysis of the literary contributions of Patras Bokhari and Farhatullah Baig in the field of Urdu satire and humour. He also shared memorable anecdotes from Bokhari's life and praised the Academy for organising such a meaningful event in his honour. He reassured the audience of the government's commitment to the preservation and support of literary institutions, especially PAL. In her welcome note, Chairperson of PAL Dr Najeeba Arif highlighted Bokhari's literary, intellectual and diplomatic achievements. She presented a comprehensive overview of his mastery of language, wit and depth of thought. She thanked the Secretary of National Heritage and Culture Division for releasing the necessary funds for the renovation of the conference hall and expressed special gratitude to Senator Irfan Siddiqui for his continued patronage of literary institutions like PAL. This session not only served as a tribute to Patras Bokhari but also played an important role in introducing the new generation to the refined tradition of Urdu humour writing. A large number of literary figures and members of Bokhari's family attended the event.
