ISLAMABAD: Urging institutions to eradicate corruption, President Arif Alvi said he supported Prime Minister Imran Khan’s austerity drive, in comments made during his first address to the joint session of parliament, on Monday.
He said that Pakistan’s progress is marred by corruption which has led to an array of challenges and problems for the country. “The elections’ [results] have proven that people are tired of dishonesty and are looking for relief,” he said, urging the parliament to introduce measures to strengthen anti-graft state institutions.
Turning the spotlight on Pakistan’s bilateral relations with the international community, Dr. Alvi said that visits by dignitaries – such as the Information Minister of Saudi Arabia, foreign ministers of China, United States, Turkey and Iran – helped cement those ties further.
He also spoke at length and in support of the newly-formed government’s policies, urging people to embrace the changes introduced by the PM “to create a Naya Pakistan (New Pakistan)”.
President Alvi also touched upon a host of challenges confronting Pakistan – such as the water crisis in the country, loopholes in the educational system, lack of measures to empower women and better provision of health facilities --- suggesting several policies along the way to overcome the issues.
The address, while inspiring, was not without its share of drama — opposition members from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party staged a walkout, after being barred from speaking, ahead of the president’s speech.
The president was scheduled to speak on September 11, but the event got postponed, at the request of the opposition, following the death of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s wife, Kulsoom Nawaz.
A dentist by profession, Dr. Alvi is a close ally of PM Khan and one of the founding members of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. He was sworn in as the 13th president of Pakistan on September 9.
In Pakistan’s parliamentary system, the president plays a largely ceremonial role, even though he is both the head of the state and the commander of the country’s military.
In 2010, the parliament passed the 18th amendment in the constitution which transferred significant powers to the prime minister, doing away with the president’s authority to dissolve the parliament.
Let’s work towards a new Pakistan – President Alvi
Let’s work towards a new Pakistan – President Alvi
- Reiterates need to strengthen anti-graft institutions in first address to parliament
- Voices support for measures introduced by PM Khan to strengthen economy
Pakistan launches digital tools to trace life insurance claims, tighten motor insurance enforcement
- SECP rolls out SMS-based Life Insurance Policy Finder, orders insurers to join Motor Insurance Repository
- The regulator says centralized data will help authorities verify coverage, reduce long-unclaimed benefits
KARACHI: Pakistan’s securities regulator on Monday announced two digital initiatives aimed at overhauling how insurance data is stored and accessed, in a push to strengthen enforcement, improve transparency and make it easier for citizens to trace insurance coverage.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) announced in two separate statements it had introduced a nationwide Life Insurance Policy Finder to help families identify policies held by deceased relatives. It also directed all non-life insurers to join a centralized Motor Insurance Repository (MIR).
Both systems, developed with the Central Depository Company (CDC), seek to address longstanding gaps in a sector where weak records, low compliance and limited data-sharing have left motorists, policyholders and beneficiaries without reliable recourse.
“The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), in collaboration with the Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDC) and the Insurance Association of Pakistan (IAP), has introduced the Life Insurance Policy Finder Service,” it said in one of the statements. “This initiative is designed to facilitate the general public in locating life insurance policies of deceased loved ones.”
“The service addresses a long-standing challenge faced by families who remain unaware of life insurance policies held by their deceased relatives,” it added. “This lack of awareness often results in legitimate claims and benefits remaining unclaimed for years.”
The SECP said the initiative aims to strengthen consumer protection, promote transparency and provide structured and secure access to insurance benefits for rightful heirs and beneficiaries.
Under the new policy-finder service, which goes live on Dec. 15, individuals can send the CNIC number of the deceased via SMS to 99833.
If a policy exists, the relevant insurer will contact the beneficiary to verify details and guide them through the claims process. Life insurers and family takaful operators have also been instructed to participate fully and respond to queries within set turnaround times.
Separately, on the motor insurance side, all non-life insurers underwriting vehicle policies are required to sign a service-level agreement with the CDC within 60 days and begin uploading complete and validated policy data to the MIR.
The repository will allow provincial and federal authorities to verify third-party insurance coverage, a requirement that exists on paper but remains loosely enforced nationwide.
The SECP said the measures form part of its broader effort to promote digital transformation, improve compliance and safeguard consumer interest.
“A centralized and validated data repository will allow authorities to verify insurance coverage efficiently, addressing significant gaps in compliance,” it added.
