ISLAMABAD: Days after Punjab government set a wheat procurement price of Rs3,500, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Tuesday fixed an 8-18pc higher minimum reserve price for sale of 500,000 tonnes of commodity from the federal government stocks through open bidding.

A meeting of the ECC presided over by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb took up again a proposal of the Ministry of National Food Security regarding disposal of 500,000 tonnes of wheat stocks through competitive bidding. These stocks were held by Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) currently under winding up.

The committee was informed that an earlier attempt to sell the wheat at previously approved reserve prices could not be finalised due to lower bids received. In view of the existing stock position and associated carrying costs, the ECC approved the sale of 500,000 tonnes of wheat through competitive bidding on a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) basis at revised reserve prices of Rs4,150 per 40 kg for local wheat and Rs3,800 per 40 kg for imported wheat.

Punjab government has recently fixed minimum procurement price of Rs3,500/- per 40kg from farmers for the current season.

Approves Rs4,150 per 40kg reserve price for 500,000 tonnes

The ECC also approved on Jan 28 about 800,000 tonnes of Passco’s wheat amid allegations of waste of public funds on managing imported wheat stocks since 2021-22.

The ECC was then told that around 1.8m tonnes of wheat stocks were still lying with Passco. Around 550,000 tonnes of these stocks belonged to imports made from Ukraine in 2021-22, most of which are now reportedly beyond the category of human consumption.

The ECC had decided to offload 800,000 tonnes at an estimated cost of about Rs70 billion, which would still leave about one million tonnes in storage, largely in bad shape.

The ECC also approved a supplementary grant amounting to Rs536m for Public Sector Development Programme projects of the defunct Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak-PWD). The approved amount will be transferred to the Governments of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for specific ongoing projects in accordance with the relevant legal and constitutional provisions.

In addition to the regular agenda items, a summary by the Petroleum Division regarding a fact-finding report on the Deed of Settlement with Cnergyico PK Ltd, submitted in compliance with earlier ECC directions concerning delayed payment of petroleum levy, was also tabled and returned with the observations that a more comprehensive presentation be made in a subsequent meeting.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2026

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ISLAMABAD: The religious affairs ministry and the information technology ministry on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding to introduce a digitalised Haj management system for transparency.

The agreement marks a key step towards an end-to-end digital model for Haj 2027, seeking to streamline procedures from application submission to pilgrims’ return to Pakistan.

The MoU signing ceremony in the federal capital was attended by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Religious Affairs Secretary Dr Sajid Mahmood Chauhan and IT Secretary Zarrar Hasham Khan, along with senior officials from both ministries.

The document was formally signed by Haj Joint Secretary Muhammad Bakhsh Sangi and National IT Board Director General Dr Khalid Rafiq.

Move aimed at transparency and efficiency in Haj operations, adherence to global standards

The religious affairs minister said the initiative was being undertaken on the prime minister’s special directives to make the entire process transparent, integrated and convenient for pilgrims. He said digitisation would help eliminate unnecessary delays and minimise human error while ensuring transparency in application processing, scrutiny, and other procedural stages.

The minister said the use of modern technology would not only improve administrative efficiency but also assist Pakistan in meeting international standards.

The IT minister said that from next year, a comprehensive end-to-end digital system would be introduced, covering all stages from submission of applications to the pilgrims’ return home. She added that a simple and user-friendly online portal would be established to facilitate applicants through a unified digital platform.

Under the MoU, the Pak Haj mobile application would also be made more effective and easier to use, enabling pilgrims to receive timely information and guidance. The portal would ensure effective coordination among stakeholders and strict adherence to timelines set by the Saudi authorities.

Officials said the digital transformation was expected to bring greater transparency, efficiency and speed to Haj operations, while ensuring modern facilities for pilgrims undertaking the annual journey.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2026

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Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday discussed recent developments in the region, especially in Iran and Afghanistan, and stressed the need for de-escalation and dialogue to avoid possible conflicts.

The development came as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani during an official visit.

“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan. Both sides emphasised the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region,” said an official press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

According to the handout, the meeting reflected the shared resolve of Pakistan and Qatar to further elevate their strategic partnership across all areas of mutual interest.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation in defence and security and reaffirmed the strong and historic ties between Pakistan and Qatar, it said.

PM Shehbaz expressed satisfaction over the ongoing collaboration between the armed forces of the two countries. He underscored Pakistan’s commitment to further strengthening defence cooperation and expanding collaboration.

Meanwhile, the Qatari official appreciated the professionalism and expertise of the Pakistan armed forces and conveyed Qatar’s interest in deepening defence partnership between the two countries, it said.

PM Shehbaz stresses importance of ‘enhancing trade volume’

Earlier, PM Shehbaz, in a meeting with the minister of state for foreign trade of Qatar, underscored the significance of “enhancing trade volumes” between the two countries.

In his meeting with Minister of State for Foreign Trade of Qatar Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, who is also the chairman of the Pak-Qatar Joint Business Taskforce, the premier stressed the “importance of enhancing bilateral trade volumes” between the two countries, as per a statement via the PMO.

He also called for “diversifying Pakistan’s exports to Qatar, particularly in agricultural products, food items and value-added goods”.

The two sides “reviewed bilateral trade and economic cooperation and expressed satisfaction over the growing momentum in Pakistan–Qatar relations”.

The pair also held discussions on the “follow-up to the 6th Session of the Pakistan–Qatar Joint Ministerial Commission and reaffirmed their commitment to implementing agreed decisions”.

During the meeting, PM Shehbaz “highlighted Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms,” citing the “role of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in facilitating foreign investment”.

The Qatari minister also expressed interest in “expanding economic cooperation and strengthening private-sector and business linkages between the two countries”.

It also decided to convene a meeting of the Pak-Qatar Joint Business Taskforce “within the month of Ramazan to discuss concrete investment proposals for Qatari investment in Pakistan”.

The PMO added that the meeting between the two leaders “underscored the shared resolve to further deepen trade, investment and industrial collaboration between Pakistan and Qatar”.

Also present during the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Special Assistant to the PM Tariq Fatemi.

Qatar Businessmen Association calls on PM Shehbaz

Separately, a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), led by the association’s chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, called on the prime minister, the PMO said in a separate statement.

The premier lauded the QBA’s “constructive role in strengthening economic and commercial linkages between Pakistan and Qatar”.

As per the statement, the prime minister also assured the delegation that “Pakistan attached high importance to private-sector-led engagement as a key pillar of the bilateral partnership”.

The premier invited the QBA members to “explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing” in Pakistan.

The QBA chairman expressed interest in “enhancing business-to-business cooperation and exploring investment opportunities in Pakistan”.

As per the statement, the two sides decided to “maintain close engagement, including during the upcoming visit of the taskforce on Pak-Qatar investment to Doha later this month, as well as hosting of business forums, to translate discussions into concrete economic partnerships”.

“Both sides agreed to undertake special efforts to facilitate linkages between the businesses and entrepreneurs of both countries so that business-to-business relations between Pakistan and Qatar can be enhanced,” the statement read.

It added that the meeting underscored the “shared commitment” of the two countries to “further expand trade and investment ties through strengthened collaboration between their respective private sectors”.

According to an earlier Foreign Office (FO) statement, PM Shehbaz, during his visit, is set to hold a bilateral meeting with Sheikh Tamim, which will cover the “entire spectrum of relations, including political engagement, economic collaboration, energy partnership and people-to-people exchanges”.

“The two sides will also explore new avenues of cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development, and manpower export,” the FO said.

The PMO statement further said that PM Shehbaz was expected to meet Qatar’s Deputy PM Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who also serves as the minister of state for defence affairs, and Minister for Foreign Trade Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed.

A delegation from the Qatar Businessmen Association is also scheduled to call on PM Shehbaz during his stay in Doha.

Upon his arrival at Hamad International Airport last night, the premier was received by Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Qatar Muhammad Aamer and other senior officials.

PM Shehbaz is accompanied by FM Dar, Tarar, and his aide Fatemi as part of the official delegation.

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