Latest news with #ZafarIqbal
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Court bans Thandiani, Taxila crushers
The Abbottabad Bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued a landmark 31-page judgment, declaring the stone crushing plants on Thandiani Road and Taxila illegal and ordering their permanent closure. In its detailed verdict, PHC noted that the NOCs (No Objection Certificates) obtained by the stone crushing plant operators from various government officials held no legal validity. Previously, the Environmental Protection Tribunal, which holds monthly sessions at the Sessions Court Building in Abbottabad, had also ordered the closure of these stone crushing plants for damaging the environment and air quality. However, the plant owners managed to continue their operations by appeasing the police and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Challenging the Environmental Tribunal's decision, the stone crushing plant owners filed writ petitions at the Abbottabad Bench of PHC through their lawyers, including Nasir Aslam and Zafar Iqbal. PHC rejected these petitions and ordered the permanent closure of all stone crushing plants causing environmental harm near residential areas. This public-interest historic ruling was achieved largely through the efforts of young lawyer Hashim Iqbal Khan Jadoon, who was educated and trained in Canada.
Kuwait News Agency
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait News Agency
KUNA : Kuwait Amir receives credentials of several new ambassadors
19/05/2025 LOC12:56 09:56 GMT KUWAIT, May 19 (KUNA) -- A ceremony was held Monday morning at Bayan Palace where His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received the credentials of the following new ambassadors to Kuwait: Dr. Zafar Iqbal of Pakistan, Andreas Panayiotou of Cyprus, Juan Carlos Staben Boillat of El Salvador, Arsen Alexander Arakelyan of Armenia, and Lakshitha Pradeep Ratnayake of Sri Lanka. Senior state officials attended the ceremony. (end) lr
Business Recorder
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
Daroghawala Industry Owner Association team meets PCJCCI
LAHORE: Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) welcomed a distinguished delegation from the Daroghawala Industry Owner Association, led by the Bani Group at PCJCCI Secretariat Tuesday. The visit was part of an initiative to explore joint opportunities in the rapidly evolving auto parts manufacturing sector and foster meaningful dialogue on enhancing bilateral trade and technology exchange. The delegation, which included key business leaders and manufacturers from Lahore's well-established Daroghawala industrial hub, engaged in comprehensive discussions with the PCJCCI leadership aimed at identifying concrete areas for partnership, investment, and knowledge-sharing with Chinese enterprises. During the session, Mian Muhammad Mansha, Chairman of the Bani Group and a veteran of the local manufacturing industry, shared his perspective on the current challenges and future potential of the sector and said that Pakistan's auto parts industry has come a long way, but to move to the next level, we need access to cutting-edge technology, modern manufacturing practices, and global supply chains. China has been a proven leader in industrial advancement, and we believe there is tremendous value in aligning our efforts. This visit is the first step in building bridges for mutual prosperity. Zafar Iqbal, Vice President of PCJCCI, expressed his strong support for localized industrial partnerships and emphasized the Chamber's proactive role in connecting Pakistani manufacturers with relevant Chinese partners. He said that PCJCCI exists to create value—both for Pakistani businesses seeking to grow and for Chinese investors looking for reliable partners. The visit by the Bani Group and Daroghawala Association is not just a courtesy call; it reflects a growing awareness that collaboration is the only way forward. We will extend every resource available to help these companies expand their footprint regionally and internationally. Mahmood Arabi, Commercial Ambassador, PCJCCI played an active role in the discussions, assuring the visiting delegation of complete facilitation in terms of networking with Chinese chambers, industry clusters, and government agencies. He highlighted that we should work together on; technology transfer and localization of Chinese manufacturing processes, skill development and training of local technicians through Chinese expertise, opportunities for joint ventures in auto parts assembly and distribution, export potential of Pakistani auto parts to Chinese markets and Participation in upcoming trade fairs and B2B forums organized by PCJCCI. Amir Ali, Executive Committee Member PCJCCI highlighted that sporadic business dealings don't create lasting impact. What we need are structured programs that bring together people, technology, and capital across borders. That's exactly what we are trying to build through PCJCCI. Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General PCJCCI briefed the delegation regarding PCJCCI's various initiatives, including industrial matchmaking platforms, support for Chinese language learning for business communication, and assistance in navigating cross-border legal frameworks. Both sides agreed to form a working group to follow up on specific opportunities and facilitate future visits, including a potential business delegation to China later this year. A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is also under consideration to solidify long-term cooperation between the Bani Group, Daroghawala industry stakeholders, and PCJCCI. This visit marks a key milestone in PCJCCI's ongoing mission to empower local industry by connecting it with China's massive industrial ecosystem. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
08-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
‘US dollar dominance being fundamentally challenged'
LAHORE: In a compelling analysis of the rapidly evolving global financial landscape, Zafar Iqbal, Vice President of the Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) stated that the long-standing dominance of the US dollar in international trade is being fundamentally challenged. He attributed this shift to the fast-paced development of digital currency infrastructure, led by China's digital yuan and its cutting-edge Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS 2.0). According to Iqbal, this innovation signals 'a new financial era characterized by speed, transparency, and a multipolar currency order.' Addressing a strategic roundtable discussion at the PCJCCI Secretariat, he highlighted the landmark execution of CIPS 2.0's first international transaction — a 120 million yuan payment for auto parts, completed in just 7.2 seconds from Shenzhen to Kuala Lumpur. This real-time transaction bypassed traditional banking lags, which typically take up to three business days via the SWIFT system. PCJCCI vice president said that this was not just a quick transfer but it was a financial breakthrough. It marked the rise of a new infrastructure that has the potential to redefine how global economies conduct trade, settle payments, and foster growth. He noted that the expansion of China's digital financial systems represents a transformative shift, challenging traditional frameworks historically controlled by Western powers. For emerging economies, especially those in the Global South, this shift offers an opportunity to reduce dependence on dollar-dominated systems and engage in trade on more equitable and transparent terms. Zafar Iqbal said that this isn't merely about faster payments, it's a systemic shift in how global settlements function cutting costs, boosting trust, and offering developing economies like Pakistan the chance to stand on equal financial footing with the world's major players. He also highlighted three transformative advantages offered by CIPS 2.0 and the digital yuan: Cost Annihilation: Traditional cross-border payments via SWIFT incur high transaction and intermediary fees. With CIPS 2.0, fees are negligible—often less than a dollar—allowing massive savings across global trade. Technological Supremacy: Digital yuan transactions can operate offline and leverage smart contracts to auto-trigger settlements, vastly improving efficiency and eliminating fraud-prone paperwork. Security Innovation: CIPS 2.0 uses blockchain-backed transparency and AI-powered risk monitoring to prevent money laundering in real-time, outpacing legacy systems that rely heavily on delayed manual oversight. He explained how these features not only improve financial reliability but also open up a new era of digital trade—where programmable money, instant settlements, and fraud-proof systems are the standard, not the exception. He warned that countries like Pakistan must not remain passive observers to this transformation. Instead, they should align with this rising ecosystem to unlock new trade opportunities, improve economic resilience, and modernize their financial architecture. 'Digital yuan adoption is expanding exponentially,' he added. 'Pakistan must now act strategically—by integrating with these new rails of commerce, we can future-proof our trade and financial sectors, enhance regional partnerships, and reduce our vulnerability to dollar liquidity shocks.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pahalgam attack: Heightened India-Pak tensions open floodgates of misinformation
As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to grow in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and the subsequent slew of measures from both nations, it has opened floodgates of misinformation and rumors. Fake news pertaining to shelling, internet disruptions and forceful deportations have spread like wildfire on social media platforms. Police, other security forces and ministries have repeatedly release advisories and warning to tackle the misinformation. On Wednesday, news spread that the internet was snapped in villages and towns close to the Line of Control (LOC) and firing had started at many places, especially in border towns. 'The news about internet disruption and firing in villages near LoC spread like wildfire. I received dozens of calls about the firing and the internet snapping from across J&K only to negate them,' said Zafar Iqbal, a resident of Uri town, which is the closest major centre to the LoC in Kashmir. 'After ceasefire violations on LoC and IB, the people in Uri and villages close to border are in panic as they fear escalation,' said Uri resident Ayaz Ahmad. He says his village, Bagna, has been hit by shells in the past. On Tuesday, news about the mother of Shaurya Chakra awardee Mudasir Ahmad, who was killed in a gunfight in J&K, being called to Srinagar from Uri and taken to deportation started circulating on social media. The police and family members termed the news as 'baseless'. The army also issued a warning, asking the media to refrain from spreading fake news in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
