Pakistani parliamentary delegation heads to Kabul for three-day visit 

Pakistani parliamentary delegation is pictured at Islamabad Airport, Pakistan, en route to Kabul, Afghanistan, for a three-day visit on April 8, 2021. (Photo courtesy: National Assembly of Pakistan/Facebook)
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Updated 08 April 2021
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Pakistani parliamentary delegation heads to Kabul for three-day visit 

  • Nine-member delegation is lead by Pakistan National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser
  • Qaiser will meet Afghan counterpart, commerce minister, chairman Afghan reconciliation council

ISLAMABAD: On the invitation of Chairman Wolsi Jirga Afghanistan, Mir Rehman Rahmani, the speaker of the Pakistani National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, will leave for Kabul today, Thursday, with a nine-member delegation to hold wide-ranging discussions, including on Afghan peace and cross-border trade, a statement from the Pakistan National Assembly said on Thursday. 
Qaiser is already credited with setting up the Executive Committee of Pak-Afghan Parliamentary Friendship Group (Pak-Afghan PFG) to resolve issues of traders on the Pak-Afghan border. A three-day seminar spearheaded by the speaker was also held recently to enhance trade relations between the two nations. 
“This parliamentary delegation during its stay in Kabul would focus on enhancing mutual trade between both nations,” the parliament statement said. “Further, this delegation also aims at exploring opportunity for peaceful Afghanistan.”
During the visit, Qaiser will meet his Afghan counterpart, as well as the chairman of the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation, Dr. Abudullah Abdually, the Afghan commerce minister, the chairman of the Afghanistan chamber of federation of commerce and industry and Afghan lawmakers.
“Kabul is preparing to welcome a parliamentary delegation from Pakistan,” Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, wrote on Twitter. “We look forward to have a great visit on 8-11 April that would make a difference to bilateral relations that are already on an upward trajectory.”


JazzCash signs deal with Binance in UAE to explore regulated crypto adoption in Pakistan

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JazzCash signs deal with Binance in UAE to explore regulated crypto adoption in Pakistan

  • MoU focuses on awareness and development of compliant virtual-asset solutions in Pakistan
  • Pakistan introducing licensing regime for crypto firms as it formalizes digital-asset oversight

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani financial-technology platform JazzCash has signed a memorandum of understanding with global cryptocurrency exchange Binance in the United Arab Emirates to explore cooperation on virtual-asset use and education in Pakistan, the company said on Wednesday.

The agreement sets a framework for discussions on awareness campaigns and future digital-asset products that would comply with Pakistan’s emerging crypto regulations. The move signals growing engagement between global blockchain companies and Pakistani fintechs as authorities shift toward formal licensing of the sector.

Pakistan has spent the past year drafting rules to regulate the fast-expanding market for digital coins and tokens, requiring virtual-asset service providers to obtain government approval. Officials say the transition is aimed at curbing money-laundering and terror financing risks, boosting transparency and encouraging responsible innovation.

“JazzCash has always championed technologies that expand financial access while promoting secure and inclusive participation in the digital economy," JazzCash Chief Executive Officer Murtaza Ali said. 

“By entering into this exploratory MoU with Binance, we are advancing our efforts to understand how global digital-asset trends can support Pakistan’s evolving regulatory landscape. We aim to engage responsibly, support regulatory progress, and advance opportunities that build trust, transparency and innovation for our customers.”

The MoU does not establish a commercial partnership, but marks one of the most high-profile engagements between Pakistan’s fintech sector and a global crypto exchange as the country moves toward regulated digital-asset adoption.

Binance welcomed the cooperation, framing it as part of Pakistan’s shift toward regulated digital-asset activity.

"With regulatory frameworks like [Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority] PVARA paving the way, this collaboration represents a significant step toward expanding financial inclusion and empowering more people to access the benefits of blockchain technology in a secure and compliant environment," Binance Chief Marketing Officer Rachel Conlan said.

Earlier this month, Binance executives met Pakistani finance officials to discuss digital-payments reform, blockchain-skills training and the potential for Web3-linked jobs. Pakistan also set up the Pakistan Crypto Council and formed PVARA this year to license and supervise crypto-asset service providers.