ISLAMABAD: Pres­i­dent Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Pakistan on Friday after completing his five-day visit to China.

The president departed for Pakistan from the Chinese city of Sanya on Thursday. His visit was aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation acr­oss key economic sectors.

The president was seen off at Sanya Airport by senior Communist Party of China Hainan leader Wang Qiang. Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong, and senior officials from China’s foreign ministry were also present on the occasion.

During the visit, President Zardari held discussions in Hunan and Hainan provinces, focusing on enhancing cooperation in industrial development, agriculture, and the maritime economy.

A key emphasis rem­ained on advancing initiatives under CPEC 2.0, particularly in promoting domestic industrial growth and the blue economy.

In Changsha, three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed between Pakistani and Chinese institutions to boost collaboration in seawater desalination, agricultural technology, and the tea sector. Additionally, in Sanya, two more MoUs and a joint investment agreement were signed in the presence of the president, covering cooperation in machinery, animal vaccines, and medical technology.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Islamabad/Rawalpindi on Thursday secured the transfer of 6,500 kanals of amenity plots and public utility land from two private housing societies to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The NAB’s intervention addressed long-standing gaps in regulatory compliance, including delayed transfers and unlawful utilisation of land earmarked for public use within housing societies.

A high-level meeting convened last week had resolved to expedite the transfer of amenity land within the prescribed legal and regulatory framework, NAB’s press release said. Under the direct supervision of Director General NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Waqar Ahmed Chauhan and through sustained, coordinated efforts of senior officers, the transfer process has been formally completed.

In the first phase, 5,484.76 kanal of amenity land in Gulberg Residencia and 999 kanal in Margalla View D-17 have been formally transferred in favour of CDA. A registration ceremony was held at NAB Islamabad/Rawalpindi to mark this transition, while cases pertaining to additional housing societies have progressed to advanced stages of execution.

Total value of transferred land said to be approximately Rs41 billion as per Deputy Commissioner rates

Based on available assessments, the total value of the transferred land is said to be approximately Rs41 billion as per Deputy Commissioner (DC) rates, while the estimated market value of the public utility component is Rs. 25.43 billion. In aggregate, land valued at approximately Rs. 66 billion has been secured and transferred to CDA. A further 4,500 kanal of land from other housing societies is scheduled for transfer in the coming weeks.

Specifically, approximately 4,793 kanal of public and amenity land across multiple housing societies has been transferred through mutation in favour of the regulator. For instance, the Civil Employees Housing Society case, pending for nearly 31 years, has now been conclusively processed.

In addition, mutation of more than 2,500 kanals of land is currently under active consideration and is being processed for early finalisation. Meanwhile, NAB Chairman retired Lt-Gen Nazir Ahmed, called on the Federal Minister for Housing & Works Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada at the Ministry of Housing & Works.

While discussing the ministry’s affairs, the minister noted that certain decisions taken in previous administrations had resulted in significant financial losses to national exchequer.

According to the NAB, the chairman discussed various proposals aimed at optimising the utilisation of the ministry’s valuable assets for housing development across different cities in Pakistan.

He highlighted the importance of adopting successful international housing models and suggested initiating pilot projects in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), which could later be replicated nationwide.

NAB chief underscored the need for transparent and fair policies regarding government assets and assured NAB’s full support in the Ministry’s efforts to prevent maladministration and corruption in such projects. Federal Secretary Housing & Works, retired Capt Muhammad Mehmood, briefed the participants on the status of estate properties in Karachi.

He informed that over 3,000 residential units, spread across approximately 512 acres of land, were currently under the jurisdiction of the Estate Office, an attached department of the Ministry of Housing and Works.

Many of these properties were affected by legal disputes, unauthorised occupations, and entitlement issues, resulting in substantial losses to the national exchequer.

The secretary emphasised that these challenges could be effectively addressed through a comprehensive and revitalised policy framework, supported by strong institutional coordination, including NAB and the judiciary.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday launched the “PM Apna Ghar Programme” under which housing loans of Rs10 million will be given on easy instalments.

The scheme will be implemented in the federal capital, all four provinces, as well as Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing the launch ceremony in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz said a total of 500,000 housing units will be constructed under the programme, supported by a total allocation of Rs3.2 trillion.

The loans are to be returned in 20 years, he said. During the first 10 years, the markup on the loan will be 5 per cent, while in the next 10 years it will be charged at the market rate at the time.

The premier said that for the first year, the government has set a target to fund 50,000 houses for which an amount of Rs321 billion had been earmarked. Under the scheme, a maximum of 10 marla housing units will be allowed to be built.

PM Shehbaz said he would personally review the programme’s progress on a monthly basis to address any shortcomings and ensure timely payments.

Besides the new housing programme, under the PM Fuel Package 2026, Rs1.2bn has been disbursed digitally to over 32,000 beneficiaries, including operators of buses, trucks, long-haul vehicles, and delivery vans. The initiative aims to provide relief amid rising fuel costs.

Meanwhile, the European Investment Bank’s international development arm, EIB Global, is committing a total of €160m to help Pakistan rebuild homes in Sindh and to improve water quality in Karachi – the country’s largest city.

ISLAMABAD: Interpol has issued Red Notices against Bahria Town owner Malik Riaz and his son Ali Riaz, Nat­i­onal Accountability Bur­eau (NAB) Chairman Lt General (retired) Nazir Ahmed said on Wednesday.

A red notice is a request to law enforcement agencies by Interpol to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.

The NAB chairman made the remarks during a press briefing at the accountability watchdog’s headquarters.

“Today I am giving you breaking news that Interpol has issued a red notice against Malik Riaz and Ali Riaz,” he said at the conclusion of the briefing.

This could not be independently verified through Interpol.

Riaz, 72, is the founder and chairman of Bahria Town, while his 48-year-old son serves as chief executive. The property tycoon is currently residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he has launched a multi-billion-dollar housing project.

During the press briefing, the NAB chairman admitted that bringing Riaz back to Pakistan would be a challenge.

“Yes, there is the aspect of Dubai’s annoyance with Pakistan,” the chairman said, adding that bringing the property tycoon back to Pakistan would not be an easy job. However, he added that NAB was sending a team for the extradition of both Riaz and his son.

Separately, the Islamabad police chief, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, met with an Interpol delegation at the Central Police Office.

Riaz and his real estate company have been embroiled in legal woes in the past few years, with the tycoon being an absconder in the Al-Qadir Trust case. The NAB had started the process to extradite Riaz and his son from the UAE in January 2025.

Riaz has many past cases alleging the use of land acquisition tactics for his real estate projects. He and his firm have also been at the centre of multiple court cases, including being ordered by the Supreme Court in 2019 to pay the amount he owed to the Sindh government for the acquisition of land for Bahria Town Karachi.

In August 2025, amidst legal troubles and ahead of planned auctions of Bahria Town properties, Riaz had appealed to be “given a chance to return to serious dialogue, and a dignified solution”.

In 2019, Riaz and his son agreed to forfeit £190m to Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) following an unexplained wealth order investigation. The settlement included proceeds from the sale of a £50m London mansion.

The NCA returned the funds to Pakistan, but the repatriated amo­unt became central to the £190m corruption case against ex-premier Imran Khan. As Riaz and his son have not been convicted of any criminal offe­n­ces, they have characterised the NCA settlement as civil in nature and accused critics of mud-slinging.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari, who is currently on an official visit to China, on Tuesday visited Shaoshan, hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic of China.

During the visit, President Zardari laid a wreath at Statue Square and paid tribute to China’s revolutionary leader.

Earlier, the president was received by Li Jiyang, senior party leader of Xiangtan People’s Congress, and Ms Zhang Xihui, director of the Shaoshan Administration Bureau of Hunan Province, who apprised him of the life and struggle of Chairman Mao Zedong, highlighting his early years in Shaoshan and the influences that shaped his political thought.

The president was also briefed on the role of memorial institutions in preserving historical material and promoting public understanding of China’s revolutionary history. Follow­ing the wreath-laying ceremony, the president visited the Mao Ze­­dong Memorial Muse­um, where he was briefed on the life, thought and political legacy of the founding leader of China.

Arrives in trade hub of Sanya; will attend commissioning of Pakistan Navy submarine

President Zardari paid tribute to Chairman Mao Zedong’s role in China’s historical transformation and acknowledged his contribution to the country’s str­uggle, unity and development.

Later, he arrived in Sanya, a city in the Hainan province which is a globally recognised tourist destination, and also plays a key role in the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

During his visit, President Zardari is expected to hold discussions with the provincial leadership on enhancing economic, trade, and strategic cooperation, as well as advancing progress on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The president will also attend the commissioning ceremony of Pakistan Navy submarine ‘Hangor’ in Sanya.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026