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KPK
Light Foundation Signs MoUs with Bajaur Press Club and Bajaur Bar Association
Anwar Zada Gulyar
Bajaur: A significant step has been taken for the welfare of journalists and lawyers in District Bajaur as the social welfare organization, Light Foundation, signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Bajaur Press Club and Bajaur Bar Association. In this regard, the Chairperson of Light Foundation, Riffat Akram, visited Bajaur along with her team and held meetings with representatives of both institutions.
During a ceremony held at the Bajaur Press Club, a formal agreement was signed between the Light Foundation and the Press Club. On this occasion, representatives of the Bajaur Press Club including Muhammad Saleem, Irfanullah Jan, Zahid Jan, Muhammad Abbas, Samiullah, and other journalists were present.
Speaking on the occasion, Light Foundation Chairperson Riffat Akram said that the foundation is a welfare organization working for the protection of the rights and the well-being of journalists, minorities, and other vulnerable segments of society. She stated that the main objective of the organization is to empower underprivileged communities and provide them with equal opportunities for development.
She further explained that the foundation is working on several welfare initiatives for journalists and their families. These include educational scholarships for the children of journalists, training in information technology, provision of wheelchairs for persons with disabilities, hearing and visual aids, and distribution of crutches. In addition, the foundation plans to provide modern sewing and embroidery machines to the widows of martyred journalists as part of its welfare program.
Riffat Akram also said that to enhance the professional skills of journalists, the foundation will organize briefing sessions, training workshops, and awareness programs so that media professionals can keep pace with modern journalistic requirements.
After a question-and-answer session, the Light Foundation and Bajaur Press Club formally signed the MoU, under which both parties will jointly work on welfare projects, training initiatives, and social development programs for journalists.
Members of the journalistic community welcomed the agreement and expressed hope that the collaboration would bring practical benefits to journalists in Bajaur and their families while promoting welfare activities in the district.
During the visit, the Light Foundation also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bajaur Bar Association. On this occasion, membership certificates of the foundation were also distributed among lawyers. This initiative is being seen as a positive development for the welfare of both journalists and lawyers in the district.
National
SBP should stop buying dollars from market.
Forex reserves should grow through exports and remittances.
TARIQ KHATTAK
Islamabad
Business leader and former president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce, Shahid Rasheed Butt, has urged the central bank to stop purchasing dollars in the domestic market, warning that this practice is contributing to economic distortions and inflationary pressures.
In a statement issued here, he said foreign exchange reserves should be strengthened primarily through exports, remittances, and foreign investment, which are sustainable sources of external stability.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said the State Bank of Pakistan has purchased around $24 billion from the local market over the past three years, a trend he described as worrying for the economy.
He noted that in most countries, foreign exchange reserves grow through export earnings, overseas investment inflows, and remittances sent by expatriates. However, the repeated need for the central bank to purchase dollars from the domestic market indicates that Pakistan still needs to significantly strengthen its export base and attract higher levels of foreign investment.
The business leader said the central bank’s purchases reduce the availability of dollars in the market, increasing pressure on the Pakistani rupee and creating difficulties for importers. As the supply of foreign currency tightens, import costs rise, eventually translating into higher prices for goods and services.
He warned that the resulting increase in import costs contributes directly to inflation, placing additional financial strain on households and businesses already coping with high energy prices and rising living expenses.
Butt added that if the central bank must continuously buy dollars in the local market to maintain foreign exchange reserves, this suggests the country’s external earnings have not yet reached the required level to ensure stability.
He emphasized that economic policymaking should not remain limited to short-term financial balancing measures but should instead focus on long-term structural reforms.
Pakistan, he said, needs to adopt an export-oriented growth strategy by promoting value-added industries and ensuring exporters have access to reliable and affordable energy supplies. Simplifying the tax system and improving the overall business environment would also help boost competitiveness.
He further suggested that restricting unnecessary imports and encouraging local substitutes could reduce pressure on the current account and support the country’s external sector stability.
