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 cashless Ramadan market in Islamabad to promote digital payments
- Pilot market allows shoppers to buy subsidized food using digital payments
- Initiative aims to improve transparency and public relief during Ramadan
KARACHI: Pakistan has launched a cashless subsidized Ramadan food market in the capital Islamabad, the interior ministry said on Wednesday, introducing digital payments for essential goods as authorities try to improve transparency and affordability during the Muslim holy month.
The facility in the G-6 Aabpara area allows citizens to purchase vegetables, fruit and staple food items at regulated prices without cash, part of a broader push toward digitizing subsidy delivery.
Ramadan bazaars, which are temporary and often state-supported markets, are set up across Pakistan each year to limit price spikes as demand rises during fasting hours and evening meals.
Ramadan is likely to start on Feb. 19 in Pakistan.
“The objective is to provide the public affordable and quality items. No negligence in public relief will be tolerated,” the interior ministry said in a statement.
Officials said the market will operate daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes private vendors under monitoring mechanisms to ensure goods are sold according to wholesale market rates.
Authorities also instructed administrators to strengthen cleanliness, security and complaint-handling systems and ensure price lists are prominently displayed.
Pakistan last year launched its first-ever cashless weekly market in Islamabad, but slow Internet speeds and patchy phone connectivity have hampered adoption among vendors and shoppers.
The government plans to turn Islamabad into Pakistan’s first fully cashless city, using QR-code payments to formalize retail transactions, reduce tax evasion and improve documentation in one of South Asia’s most informally run economies.
Pakistan relies heavily on cash, enabling widespread tax evasion and limiting financial transparency. Economists say expanding digital payments can raise government revenues, curb corruption, and make marketplaces safer for customers and traders.
Pakistan has increasingly experimented with targeted subsidies and digital systems to manage food affordability during Ramadan, when consumption rises sharply and lower-income households face pressure after years of high inflation.
Last week, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif launched a Rs38 billion ($136 million) Ramadan relief package, pledging direct digital cash transfers of Rs13,000 ($47) each to 12.1 million low-income families across Pakistan.
The government will distribute the relief package through bank accounts and regulated mobile wallet platforms, fully replacing the previous utility store-based subsidy model with a digital payment mechanism overseen by the State Bank of Pakistan.
