Author name: Web Desk

KARACHI: Inspector General Police Sindh Jawed Alam Odho Tuesday revealed that under the ongoing “Operation Nijat-e-Mehran” launched against heavily armed criminal gangs operating in Sindh’s katcha areas, at least 41 notorious dacoits had been killed, 123 arrested in injured condition and over 320 surrendered before law enforcement authorities during the last four months. Addressing the business community during his visit to Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, IGP stated that the successful operation had restored the writ of the state in areas previously considered inaccessible and had significantly improved the security of key trade and transport routes linking Karachi with the rest of the country. Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani, President KCCI Rehan Hanif, Senior Vice President Muhammad Raza, Vice President Arif Lakhani, Former Presidents Younus Muhammad Bashir, Shamim Ahmed Firpo, Muhammad Idrees and Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman Law & Order Subcommittee Akram Rana, Chief Police Chamber Liaison Committee Hafeez Aziz and others attended the meeting. He noted that Karachi’s overall security environment had improved considerably in recent years, while incidents of street crime had also witnessed a declining trend. However, he stressed that continuous vigilance, institutional coordination and constructive feedback from stakeholders remained essential to sustain and further improve the situation. Discussing Karachi’s traffic challenges, the IGP observed that one of the city’s biggest structural issues was the concentration of wholesale markets and freight movement within densely populated commercial areas. He stressed the need for long-term urban planning, including the gradual relocation of major wholesale markets outside the city center and the development of dedicated expressways connecting industrial zones and ports with highways. He also highlighted the importance of expanding road connectivity through projects such as the Northern Bypass expansion and elevated expressways linking Karachi and Bin Qasim Ports with industrial zones. IGP informed participants that Sindh Police had intensified enforcement measures through Safe City surveillance systems and AI-based monitoring technologies to identify traffic violations, fake or concealed number plates and reckless driving. He warned that vehicles using tampered number plates would face strict legal action, including FIR registration and vehicle impoundment. Addressing the issue of narcotics, IGP described drugs as one of the gravest threats facing society and the younger generation. He disclosed that during recent anti-narcotics operations, Sindh Police had arrested more than 1,700 drug dealers and seized significant quantities of heroin, hashish and other narcotics. Referring to the recent arrest of a high-profile female drug supplier ‘Pinky’, the IGP cautioned against glamorizing criminals and drug traffickers through sensationalized portrayals on social media and other platforms. He stressed that such individuals should not be projected as glamorous or heroic figures, as this could negatively influence young people and encourage criminal behavior. On the issue of encroachments and land grabbing, Jawed Alam Odho informed participants that the Government of Sindh had established high-level committees under the supervision of the Home Department and Commissioner Karachi to address complaints related to illegal occupation of land and encroachments. He invited KCCI to nominate a focal person to coordinate with authorities for prompt resolution of complaints faced by the business community. He further announced that Sindh Police was working with the Government of Sindh to modernize Karachi’s traffic management system through smart and dynamic traffic signals, improved road signage, better road markings and advanced traffic engineering practices. A proposal had also been submitted to establish a professional traffic management company under a public-private model aimed at improving Karachi’s urban mobility infrastructure. Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, while appreciating the improved law & order situation in Karachi, stated that incidents of car snatching, motorcycle theft and street crime had declined considerably compared to previous years. The city’s overall security environment had witnessed visible improvement during the past several months, which was encouraging for the business community and citizens alike. Zubair Motiwala, however, observed that narcotics had emerged as one of the gravest challenges facing society, particularly the younger generation. He expressed serious concern over the growing use of drugs in universities, colleges and schools, and urged law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts against drug suppliers and organized narcotics networks. He also drew attention to reports regarding increasing drug-related activities in certain gated communities and residential colonies, where groups of youngsters frequently gather due to the relatively secure and closed environments. He requested the police authorities to closely monitor such areas and take timely preventive measures to curb the spread of narcotics. Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani stated that the smart signal system, which automatically adjusts according to traffic flow, had already demonstrated positive results at PIDC Traffic Signal hence, it should immediately be expanded to other major arteries of Karachi. He observed that such systems would be especially beneficial during late-night hours when traffic remains minimal on certain roads, thereby reducing unnecessary waiting time and improving traffic flow. Jawed Bilwani also stressed the need for restructuring and modernizing the Traffic Engineering Bureau, stating that the institution had become ineffective in addressing Karachi’s growing traffic challenges. He suggested that the bureau should either be placed under the administrative control of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation or integrated more closely with traffic police operations to ensure practical and timely traffic management decisions. He further emphasized the urgent need to expedite the Safe City Project, terming it critical for improving both traffic management and crime control in Karachi. He said the project would significantly ease the operational burden on traffic police personnel while also strengthening the overall capacity of law enforcement agencies through modern surveillance and monitoring systems. President KCCI Rehan Hanif, while welcoming IGP Sindh, stated that incidents of street crimes, short-term kidnappings and other criminal activities, which had once created an atmosphere of fear among citizens and the business community, have significantly declined due to effective policing and sustained efforts by law enforcement agencies. Referring to the issue of dacoits operating in katcha areas, he noted that the situation on highways and intercity travel routes has improved considerably as compared to the past. Highlighting the growing concern of heavy traffic accidents

Karachi, 18 May – S&P Global Market Intelligence has identified Pakistan as the economy facing the highest macro-financial stress risk under a prolonged Middle East conflict scenario. This is part of the latest assessment of major Asia-Pacific (APAC) economies. The outlook projects Pakistan’s real GDP growth to ease to 3.2% in fiscal year 2027, with the balance of risks tilted to the downside, driven primarily by the ongoing war in the Middle East. Read More: https://theboardroompk.com/pakistan-services-trade-surplus-faces-sharp-monthly-drop-despite-strong-export-growth/ The assessment underscores Pakistan’s near-complete reliance on Gulf crude supplies, heavy dependence on workers’ remittances from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, large external financing needs, and limited fiscal space as factors that collectively amplify the country’s exposure to regional instability. Ahmad Mobeen, Principal Economist, S&P Global Market Intelligence said, “Our assessment of major APAC economies shows that Pakistan is likely to experience the most acute effects of a prolonged Middle East war shock due to its high dependence on imported energy and industrial inputs from the region combined with improving but still limited external and fiscal buffers. Higher energy prices are likely to reverse recent gains on the current account, increase depreciation pressures, and keep inflation elevated. While the initial policy responses helped temporarily mitigate the supply shock and slow the pass-through to households and businesses, the next policy phase is likely to be defined by increasingly difficult trade-offs between maintaining stability, supporting growth, and continuing fiscal consolidation measures under existing IMF programs without additional bilateral and multilateral funding.” On the sectoral front, higher energy prices, supply chain constraints, and trade route disruptions are expected to weigh heavily on manufacturing and export growth, while simultaneously driving up imported input cost inflation. The report also flags the risk of fertilizer shortages and a moderation in remittance growth, both of which would bear directly on farmers’ incomes and crop yields. The second-round effects of energy price inflation are projected to compress private consumption and spill over into the services sector, with transport and retail particularly exposed. Pakistan’s external financing position presents a similarly challenging picture. While external buffers have strengthened in the near term, aided by a new Saudi deposit, anticipated rollovers of existing facilities, and continued access to IMF-linked multilateral and bilateral financing and refinancing risks remain elevated. The recent USD 3.5 billion repayment to the UAE underscores the scale of forthcoming debt obligations, with Market Intelligence projecting gross external financing needs to average approximately USD 24 billion annually over the 2026–30 period.

Karachi 18th May 2026 — National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has secured 7 Best Practice Awards at the Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Benchmarks (GDEIB) Awards 2026, marking an important recognition of the Bank’s continued efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across its organizational landscape. Read More: https://theboardroompk.com/pakistan-services-trade-surplus-faces-sharp-monthly-drop-despite-strong-export-growth/ Representing the Bank at the ceremony, Ms. Saman Abbasi, EVP – Divisional Head, Learning & Development and Organizational Effectiveness, received the award along with her team on behalf of NBP.The recognition acknowledges the Bank’s ongoing work to strengthen inclusive policies and practices, encourage broader representation, and foster a workplace culture grounded in fairness, respect, and opportunity. It reflects NBP’s belief that inclusive institutions are better positioned to grow sustainably, strengthen culture, and create lasting impact. NBP continues to advance its people agenda in line with contemporary global benchmarks and institutional priorities, while reinforcing its commitment to building a workplace that is equitable, forward-looking, and responsive to the evolving expectations of a modern financial institution. About National Bank of Pakistan National Bank of Pakistan is one of Pakistan’s premier financial institutions, with a longstanding role in supporting national progress through financial services, outreach, and economic participation across the country.