ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will attend the three-day 15th Sir Bani Yas Forum in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from today, Friday, the foreign office in Islamabad said, with the ongoing war in Gaza expected to be at the center of discussions.
The three-day annual retreat will bring together top decision-makers and experts to debate pressing Middle Eastern issues such as regional peace and security and economic transformation.
“At the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will participate in the 15th Sir Bani Yas Forum being held from Nov. 15-17 in the UAE,” foreign office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at a weekly news briefing in Islamabad.
“At the forum, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will engage in high-level dialogue with global leaders and experts addressing critical issues of regional security, economic cooperation and sustainable development.”
Dar will highlight Pakistan’s “strategic perspective on fostering diplomatic solutions to complex regional challenges and advancing collective prosperity,” Baloch added.
The war in the Gaza Strip is expected to feature prominently in discussions at the Sir Bani Yas Forum.
Israel invaded the enclave last year after Hamas-led gunmen attacked communities in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities, and abducting more than 250 as hostages. Since then, the Israeli campaign has killed more than 43,500 people, according to Gaza health authorities, and destroyed much of the enclave’s infrastructure, forcing most of the 2.3 million population to move several times.
The issue was also at the center of the agenda at the recently concluded Joint Arab-Islamic Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia, with Baloch welcoming the resolution adopted by the summit, which, among other issues, called on the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Israel and asked it to set up an independent investigation committee to investigate Israeli crimes including genocide, forced disappearances, torture and ethnic cleansing.
Pakistani deputy PM to attend UAE’s Sir Bani Yas Forum today
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Pakistani deputy PM to attend UAE’s Sir Bani Yas Forum today
- Three-day summit will host top decision-makers, experts for debates on regional issues
- Ongoing war in Gaza is expected to feature prominently in discussions at Sir Bani Yas Forum
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
Pakistan bank enables Shariah-compliant digital payment facility for passengers at Islamabad airport
- Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions in the informal sector are made without any taxes, officials say
- The move comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports under which only digital service providers can provide services
KARACHI: Aik, Pakistan’s first Islamic digital bank, has enabled fully digital payments at Islamabad International Airport to offer travelers and passengers secure, Shariah compliant digital transaction facility.
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to introduce a cashless model at airports across the country, under which only digital service providers can provide services to customers.
Aik, a subsidiary of Bank Islami, said it has onboarded merchants across the Islamabad airport and integrated QR code deployments at key touchpoints to allow passengers and visitors to make secure, seamless, and Shariah-compliant digital transactions at all counters, retail outlets, and service points.
It said the implementation complies with the regulations and framework set by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and is a working model for a large-scale adoption of cashless systems in public infrastructure.
“This deployment reflects our commitment to building practical digital infrastructure that improves everyday transactions,” Aik Chief Officer Ashfaque Ahmed said in a statement.
“By enabling a fully cashless environment at a major national gateway, we are supporting efficiency, transparency, and financial inclusion at scale. This is not only a project; it is a foundation for Pakistan’s cashless future.”
Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions, particularly in the informal sector, are conducted in cash. Officials say many of these transactions are aimed at avoiding taxes.
In recent years, the SBP has taken steps to ensure a transition toward a more cashless economy so that transactions are more traceable, reducing chances of tax evasion and corruption.
By digitizing Islamabad airport, aik said it continues to invest in secure and accessible financial solutions that “expand digital participation and support national economic modernization.”
