Chinese President visit

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif hand shake with Chinese President.

Democracy WINS - Pakistan WINS!

Wall street Journal news about democratic Pakistan

PCEC map

This is the original and only map of PCEC.

Mass Transit Bus Projects

Rawalpindi Metro Project

PM meets King Salman

Pakitan stands beside Saudia for its soverignity

Reduction in fares of public transport

Toll free helpline for compaints

Parliament Gallery

Group Photo| Speaker NA Sardar Ayaz Sadiq with Dr. Cyrill Nunn, Ambassador of Germany and Members of Pakistan-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group

News reel

Followers

Friday, January 31, 2014

Photo gallery

PM Visit to Quetta









Thursday, January 30, 2014

An expert opinion about METRO bus system

 Moving masses

A professionally managed and efficiently delivered public transit service has been a dream of urban residents in Pakistan. The dream though came true for 140,000-plus Lahoris who enjoy an efficient, reliable, and sustainable public transit service made possible by the Lahore Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
Running along Ferozepur Road connecting Shahdara with GujuMatta, the 27-kilometre long Lahore BRT is the first-ever high-capacity urban transit system in Pakistan that has been designed and operated by transit professionals. Transit planning and service delivery in Pakistan have been the exclusive domain of transit quacks who neither had the capacity nor the willingness to deliver efficient transit service. This has all changed with the Lahore BRT, which is operated by professional private sector operators, while the system is managed and monitored by professional transit planners. No wonder the buses run on time and offer a reliable and courteous service.
While in its present incarnation, the Lahore BRT system is far from perfect. It is, in fact, a work in progress where a single route will have to be developed into an integrated transit network. In spite of the obvious shortcomings, the Lahore BRT offers a great lesson: If there is political will, mountains can be moved. The BRT system, with elevated right-of-way, was built in a record time of 11 months, something other cities in Pakistan have not been able to achieve in 67 years.
Recent criticism of the Lahore BRT system in popular press does disservice to this particular socio-political achievement in Lahore for several reasons. First, the criticism is contextualized in populist diatribe instead of being informed by public transit key performance indicators. Second, the author confuses the BRT with regular or para transit, which are two distinct transit systems with very different operating characteristics and cost structures. The author criticises the cost of the BRT system as he converts the total cost into cost per operating bus. This is a poor metric to use with the BRT system that has the capacity to carry three-times more passengers with the same high-quality operating characteristics.
Let me offer the analogy of a dispensary and a sophisticated hospital to explain the difference between the BRT and regular bus service. The dispensary, like the regular bus transit, offers the bare minimum service and is operated by a semi-trained individual. The hospital, on the other hand, employs surgeons and runs state-of-the-art operating theatres. It should not come as a surprise that the cost per patient served at the hospital will be an order of magnitude higher than the cost per patient served by the dispensary. If the BRT's criticism of high cost is deemed credible, which should not be the case, then one would rather shutdown all hospitals and replace them with dispensaries for their low operating cost structures.
The BRT is expensive to build and operate because of investments required for constructing the exclusive right-of-way and a modern command and control system to be operated by highly trained staff. Where else in Pakistan do we have professionals with Masters and Doctorates in transportation planning and engineering from prestigious universities operating urban transit?
The Lahore BRT is being operated by a team of specialists who monitor each and every operating bus in real-time from a state-of-the-art transit control centre that competes in quality with other similar centres in the western world. The fact that during peak demand hours buses arriving at a three-minute frequency or less is a direct result of professional planning and delivery.
The Lahore BRT filled to capacity on January 14 (12 Rabiul Awwal) at 11:00am heading to Gajjumata from MAO College. -Source: Murtaza Haider.
The Lahore BRT filled to capacity on January 14 (12 Rabiul Awwal) at 11:00am heading to Gajjumata from MAO College. -Source: Murtaza Haider.
Earlier in January, I had the opportunity to study the Lahore BRT system to appreciate its operating characteristics. I rode the BRT system in both directions. I visited the transit control centre to meet with the professionals who monitor each bus operating in the network. I spoke with the sanitary staff that was keeping the transit system free of refuse and garbage. I interviewed the ticketing and maintenance staff at bus stations and those operating the back-up generators. I also met with urban and transport planners who have been working for years to plan this system. My conclusion: The BRT system is a great success and a great beginning for efficient urban transit service delivery in Pakistan. Instead of being shunned, it needs to be replicated across Pakistan.
I have analyzed and written about transit systems for over 20 years. In fact, theWoodrow Wilson Centre for International Scholars published this week a policy brief I authored on transport planning imperatives for Pakistan. My experience to date allows me to appreciate the BRT's strengths and to criticise its shortcomings. The BRT's greatest strength is its potential to serve as the prototype for transit planning and delivery in Pakistan where most infrastructure funds have historically been spent on facilitating travel by car. Motorways, over and underpasses, and ring roads and bypasses are examples of conventional urban transport spending. Regrettably, examples of spending on transit and pedestrian or bike infrastructure have been rare. The Lahore BRT allows other local and provincial governments in Pakistan to appreciate an alternative format of transport spending that helps improve mobility for the majority of commuters in Pakistan who do not own a car.
The Lahore BRT system does have limitations. Given that it essentially operates in a single corridor, it lacks the utility offered by a networked transit system. Transit planners in Lahore though are working on expanding the BRT network to other busy corridors. Its current fixed fare of 20 rupees per ride encourages long-distance commuters, while discouraging short-distance commuters. A zone-based transit fare would encourage more short-distance trips resulting in greater turnover of seats and higher revenue.
The transit system is reachable by stairs or escalators, which violates principles of universal design. Adding elevators will make the transit system accessible to those in wheelchairs and others with special needs. The access and egress points are not well-integrated with adjacent land uses. At the Gajjumata station, commuters climb down on a landing that is arbitrarily placed between the main and the service roads, thus requiring the commuters to step onto the road first to reach the sidewalk.
Staircases could become hurdles for seniors and others with restricted mobility options. -Source: Murtaza Haider.
Staircases could become hurdles for seniors and others with restricted mobility options. -Source: Murtaza Haider.
Despite its limitations, those who ride the BRT system in Lahore know that other modes of travel cannot offer stable operating speeds of 45 to 60 km/hour during peak and off-peak periods. This is a direct result of the exclusive (and mostly elevated) right-of-way and signal priority for buses at intersections where BRT vehicles compete for space in mixed traffic. The exclusive right-of-way is what differentiates a BRT system from an ordinary bus transit system. The fact that the transit vehicles do not compete with other mixed traffic allows transit to operate at faster speeds and offer reliable service. This gives transit the competitive advantage over private cars that eventually results in a modal shift from car to public transit.
The Lahore BRT system has been designed with excess capacity. Each station is equipped with three loading docks to simultaneously handle three articulated buses. Similarly, the transit control centre has the capacity to monitor and control several transit corridors. As the transit use matures in Lahore, the BRT service along Ferozepur Road should be able to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction from current loadings of approximately 7,000 passengers per hour per direction.
The question to ask is how does Lahore's BRT compare in throughput capacity against other transit systems. One can deploy two metrics used in the transit industry. For transit riders per corridor, the Lahore BRT with approximately 140,000 riders per day measures up well. However, for approximately 5,000 transit riders per km of network, Lahore's BRT is at the lower end of the BRT spectrum. The second metric can be improved by fixing the fare structure so that long-distance commuters pay more than short-distance commuters. This will result in a larger number of riders per available seat in the corridor. Furthermore, as the network is expanded to other busy corridors in Lahore, such as Multan Road, transit demand is likely to increase across the network.
At the Second Pakistan Urban Forum in Karachi earlier in January, I witnessed the enthusiasm of urban planning colleagues from Karachi, Peshawar, and other large urban centres in Pakistan for the BRT system in Lahore. Large urban centres are struggling with traffic congestion. However, traffic gridlock should not be a forgone conclusion for large cities in Pakistan. A combination of smart investments in transit and other infrastructures can improve mobility in Pakistani cities.
Strategic investments in BRT systems in Ahmedabad (India), Bogota (Columbia), Curitiba (Brazil), and Ottawa (Canada) have shown that bus-based transit can deliver efficient and sustainable transit service at a fraction of a cost of doing the same with underground rail-based systems. The Lahore BRT is a welcome addition to successful bus-based transit systems. Lahoris should be thanked for showing the rest of the country a better way to move people and economy.

Murtaza Haider is a Toronto-based academic and the director of Regionomics.com.


 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Punjab for the computerized Attendance marking in schools

 Pilot Project launched 


Published in Daily Waqt dated January 28, 2014

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Khawaja Asif receives bomb threats

Khawaja Asif receives bomb threats


Khawaja Asif receives bomb threats, private vehicles’ banned in Islamabad SecretariatISLAMABAD: The authorities have banned entry of all private vehicles in Islamabad Secretariat Saturday, after unknown caller’s threats, of bomb blast, to the Federal Defense Minister Khawaja Asif Ali, SAMAA reports.
Earlier on Friday, the Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif Ali, received threats from an unknown caller, on the telephone, that he could launch bomb blast in the building, revealed sources.
The police launched a quick probe into the threat and started search drive to trace the threatening terrorist.
Owing to the threat of bomb blast, all private vehicles’ entry has been banned in the Islamabad Secretariat, added the sources. SAMAA
 
 

 

To retaliate with full force if attacked: Saad Rafiq | PAKISTAN - geo.tv

To retaliate with full force if attacked: Saad Rafiq 




To retaliate with full force if attacked: Saad Rafiq



LAHORE:
Federal Minister for Railways, Khwaja Saad Rafiq Saturday said the
decision has been taken and now the forces would retaliate with full
force in case the terrorist attacked.


“It will no longer be
the case where terrorists go on exploding bombs while security forces
remain silent,” Saad Rafiq asserted while talking to media men here at
Railway Stadium where Annual Inter Divisional Sports event was held
under the auspices of Pakistan Railways.


He said the government
would only engage in talks in a dignified manner with those who are
willing to reciprocate. “Imran Khan (Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf)
wants us to bend over backwards before the terrorists,” he regretted.


Commenting on the treason trial of the former president General (retd) Pervez
Musharraf, he said Pervez Musharraf is now a retired general, who is
trying in vain to win favor of the army. “After retirement he (Gen
Musharraf) is a common citizen,” he added.









 

PMLN to construct M9

PML-N govt’s to construct a 7 lane road on Super Highway in Sindh

monster-hwy2
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has decided to construct a seven lane road on the Super Highway which will shorten the distance between Karachi and Hyderabad to just 2 hours.
The plan originally belonged to last government with the intention to complete it in 2013 but the construction never started and thus the project was only limited to files.
Now the current government is working on same scheme but it has changed the named of Super Highway to Motorway M-9.
The 7 lane road will be ideal for all kinds of traffic. And to avoid traffic jams, motorway M-9 (136 km long) will have 20 fly overs.
National Highway Authority and Malir Development Authority will take care of the project, including 7 lane road, 20 bridges and other required additions.
The project will be completed in two years will expenditure of Re13 billion.


 

PMLN for operation against TALIBAN

 PMLN for operation against TALIBAN

 


Sunday, January 26, 2014

Column | Javed Chaudhary

Life of President Mamnoon Hussain 


Published in Daily Express dated January 26, 2014.

 


Friday, January 24, 2014

Gujranwala firing incident

Press Release



 

Nawaz rejects $33m US deal over Shakil Afridi

 Nawaz rejects $33m US deal over Shakil Afridi


 Ansar AbbasiWednesday, January 22, 2014 
From Print Edition


ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the cabinet meeting held on Monday rejected the US bill linking US$33 million aid to the release of Dr Shakil Afridi and resolved that Pakistan would not compromise on such matters of national security and sovereignty.


A cabinet minister confided to The News that the prime minister was upset over Washington’s move and made it clear that no such conditions would be acceptable to Pakistan. The minister said the prime minister ruled out the possibility of releasing Dr Shakil Afridi and handing him over to Washington.

Nawaz Sharif, it is said, during the same cabinet meeting directed the foreign ministry to issue Islamabad’s strong disappointment over Washington’s move. The FO issued the statement the same evening.

The prime minister assured his cabinet members that Dr Afridi’s fate would be decided by the independent judiciary of the country and there was no question of entertaining Washington’s request to send him to America in return for US$33 million.

Aid or no aid, the prime minister is said to have told the cabinet, Afridi would not be handed over to any country.

Dr Shakil Afridi is accused of assisting the CIA to track Osama bin Laden’s hideout in Abbottabad by exploiting the polio vaccination campaign. Afridi, who was charged with high treason for his shameful act, has become the darling of the US for his work for the CIA that led to the May 2 Abbottabad operation.

Using the polio vaccination campaign for spying purposes by the CIA had furthered the problems for Pakistan as in retaliation to this, the TTP started targeting polio workers in different parts of the country.

Before the recent adoption of bill by US Congress linking US$33 million to the release of Dr Shakil Afridi, Washington had repeatedly taken up the issue of Afridi’s release and his departure to the US but Islamabad did not agree.

During Nawaz Sharif’s official visit to the US a few months back, President Obama also discussed the issue of Afridi and his release but there too Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the issue was with the judiciary, which had to decide the fate of the accused.

The recent adoption of bill is said to be a frustrated move by Washington to pressure Islamabad to free the alleged CIA agent, who is a Pakistani citizen and is charged with committing a serious crime against the country.

The Foreign Office on Monday expressed its disappointment. “We are disappointed that the bill proposes to withhold US$33 million from assistance on account of Dr Shakil Afridi’s detention,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said that Dr Afridi, a citizen of Pakistan, is accused of having violated the country’s laws. The FO added that Afridi’s action also caused immense damage to the polio campaign in the country. “His case is sub judice and he remains entitled to due process under the law. Consequently, any linkage of US assistance to this case is not in keeping with the spirit of cooperation between the two countries,” the FO spokesperson said.


 

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Progress in Pakistan Railways

 

ISLAMABAD: The Senate was all smiles Friday when a lady senator, in a bid to praise Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique for his good job, compared him with India’s corruption-tainted ex-railway minister Lalu Prasad.

The House, which saw angry senators expressing anguish over plight of Fata people during an on-going debate, also witnessed light moments during the question hour.

Senator Kulsoom Parveen of the BNP-Awami, apparently oblivious of the recent conviction of Lalu in a 17 years old fodder corruption case, said that Saad Rafique was performing as good as the Indian minister. This prompted several senators to rise on their seats to inform her about the bitter fact about Lalu.

“By this, I mean Lalu had done a very good service to the Indian railways as its minister. I did not refer to his other issues,” the lady senator explained.

Replying questions, Saad Rafique complained that despite clear orders of the Supreme Court, the provinces were not ready to give back land to the railways and that was why they had decided to take the matter to the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

The minister noted that the Railways Ministry wanted to earn revenue from the commercial use of its land, as was successfully being done in India. He said this process had been started from Karachi, wherein cold storages and hotels could be built.

Regarding the Royal Palm issue, Saad Rafique said initially the lease was for 33 years that was increased to 49 years and the leased land was 120 acres that was also enhanced to 141 acres. He added the ministry had filed a petition in the Supreme Court and urged for early hearing of the same.

He said an amount of Rs25 million payable by the party to which the land was leased out was not paid, forcing the government to write a termination letter on this count.The minister noted that no new passenger train would be launched until the freight trains were equal in number to the passenger trains.

Presently, 25 goods trains are in operation and two of these are for transportation of PSO’s oil products. There are 96 passenger trains on tracks presently.About accidents on unmanned railway crossings, he said security on the crossings was the provincial governments’ responsibility and there were a total of 2,442 railway crossings across Pakistan. He added that the ministry had banned opening of new such crossings.

The minister said he had meetings with provincial secretaries and even chief ministers regarding railway crossings. He maintained that the issue of crossings could be solved in next five years if provinces provide funds for this purpose.Saad Rafique made it clear that in future the ministry would allow only underpasses or flyovers at railway tracks and no more new railway crossings will be allowed. 



Sunday, January 12, 2014

PMLN saved PSO from going Bank default

PMLN saved PSO from default


News report published in Weekly Nidai Milat dated January 02, 2014

 


 

Saturday, January 11, 2014

China to invest 2 Billion USD in PUNJAB

MoU | China to invest 2 Billion USD in PUNJAB 


Daily waqt dated January 11, 2014


 

Editorial of Daily Waqt regarding economic policies of PMLN

PMLN for Economic stability

 Daily waqt dated January 11, 2014


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Danish School Authority | Audit rules and regulations chalked out

Danish School Authority | Audit rules and regulations chalked out 


http://www.dailywaqt.com/01-11-2014/images/03_07.gif

 

Punjab to use Irrigation canals for transportation

 Punjab to use irrigation canals for transportation

Daily Waqt dated January 11, 2014.

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Thursday, January 9, 2014

Why Ch Sarwar was made Governor of Punjab

News Report | How Pakistan won the GSP + status in EU

This news report was published in weekly Nidai Millat dated 19-25 December , 2013

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

110 days report of Pakistan Railways



#RoshanPakistan | 1st unit at Duber Khwar hydroelectric plant generating power

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Return of the ‘feel good’ sentiments

Return of the ‘feel good’ sentiments

 

The Pakistani industry is gearing up to revitalise investment. There is a buzz, not just in textiles, but in several other sectors hoping to capitalise on the improving business environment.
A series of official measures during the concluding month of the last calendar renewed business confidence, which was reported to be cracking up in the initial months of the Nawaz Sharif government.
About two months back, businessmen complained that the PML-N government was dragging its feet on issues it promised to resolve before elections. They expressed frustration over the cold attitude of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s economic team towards the corporate sector.
They were also irked with the rising cost of production because of repeated increases in the cost of utilities, including power. Double digit inflation and growing vulnerability on the external front troubled them, as the rupee dipped to over 110 to a dollar in the open market, and reserves depleted to dangerously low levels. Souring of relations with India agitated business segments charmed by the huge market next door.
“We are impatient as a nation. It takes time to turn a company around. Pakistan is a fairly big country in grips of complex, long standing problems. It is not easy for anyone to switch economic fortunes instantly. I feel that the government is on the right track. Energy, circular debt, loan liabilities were all big ticket items. It would be unfair not to acknowledge the government’s efforts to deal with them,” former commerce minister Abdul Razak Dawood told Dawn over telephone from Lahore.
“It does not mean that I endorse all government policies. I am not comfortable with the tax amnesty scheme, which is unfair as it penalises honest taxpayers and rewards tax evaders. For Pakistan to attain sustainability, we’ve got to get the tax- to-GDP ratio right. To this end, the tax base needs to be broadened and tax laws enforced indiscriminately,” he added.
Business sentiments got a boost by a series of events in the last one month. First, Pakistan was granted the GSP Plus status by the EU. This was followed by deceleration in the inflation rate, which returned to single digits from over 10 per cent in November. The government announced to divert gas to industry from power generation.
As tensions eased, the prime minister announced to separate trade and politics in bilateral relations with India and move ahead with trade liberalisation plans.
The rupee started its upward journey as the government, through a combination of measures, cleared liabilities on time; managed to get fresh dollar deposits; and succeeded in driving speculators out of the exchange market.
Some market sources suggested a role of exporters in the reserves buildup, which sustained the rupee’s recovery.
“I am told that gas was diverted to industry by the government after exporters gave an undertaking to bring back the export proceeds they parked outside Pakistan,” said an informed source, while hinting at the $500 million fresh inflows in the banking system.
But textile tycoons rubbished the rumour. “It is not viable for the corporate sector to lock its liquid assets anywhere. These are huge establishments and any interruption in cash flow can disrupt the production cycle. Some petty exporters might be indulging in such practice, but I am not aware of it,” Rafique Ibrahim, a senior executive of the Al Karam Group, said when reached over telephone for comments.
“To me, it makes sense if businessmen pitched in their bit to reduce external sector vulnerability. People remember the 1998 fiasco, and will be willing to do all in their means to avoid a repeat of emergency measures, which hurt them and their businesses more than anyone else,” Majyd Aziz, a business leader, told Dawn.
An insider in the federal finance ministry endorsed Ibrahim’s view. “The finance minister’s statement proved to be magical. In the currency market, expectations lead the trend. The moment the rupee signaled strength, people rushed to encash dollars. The dip in demand further weakened the greenback, and reserves started improving,” he argued.
Mohammad Sohail, CEO of Topline Securities, confirmed the infectious ‘feel good’ factor in business circles. “I see the economy picking up at a pace faster than many would expect. The six per cent growth in large-scale manufacturing in the last quarter indicates the direction the economy is heading to. The goodwill for Nawaz Sharif seems to be translating into material support for his government,” he commented.
For the sudden mysterious rise in dollar deposits in December 2013, he felt the clearance of stuck up five billion rupees worth of commissions of exchange companies might also have been instrumental in the buildup of the foreign currency.

 

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Punjab launches the first ever website for e learning in PAKISTAN

Punjab launches the first ever website for  

e learning in PAKISTAN

http://elearn.punjab.gov.pk

The idea that technology can revolutionize education is not new. However, the Internet, coupled with mobile, more affordable end-user gadgetry now lends itself as an enormously powerful digital medium to enhance the teaching and learning experience across the globe. Advances in information technology have enabled the “personalization” of the learning experience by providing access to learning and assessment resources – anywhere, anytime.

eLearn.Punjab aims to facilitate and encourage the use of educational technologies by providing digitized content, relevant supplementary resources, and online assessment tools for students and educators. As a first step, digitized versions of science subject text books for 9th and 10th grades are being made available online – along with links to a sea of supplementary material available over the Web. In future, the same content may also be pre-loaded into laptops or tablets, or made available in the form of CDs. The introduction of online self-assessment features as well as centralized course/content management tools for public schools is also planned.

We would like to make eLearn.Punjab a meaningful and exciting place for learners and educators to go to. We encourage our visitors, private sector entities, and international agencies to explore, contribute, and collaborate with us in this regard. Please visit eLearn.Punjab frequently, and send us your suggestions, feedback, links to resources, possible support via your organization’s CSR initiatives etc.

Friday, January 3, 2014

#RoshanPakistan | Daring Investors Brave Pakistan Market

Daring Investors Brave Pakistan Market

New Government and Economic Reforms Rally Market

In a daring move, investors are heading to Pakistan and braving one of the world's most dangerous countries to benefit from a newly elected government that is rolling out an economic program to aid the struggling economy.
The benchmark index traded in the financial capital Karachi jumped 49.4% last year, ranking as one of the world's top performers. The market jumped another 2.8% Thursday, the first trading day of 2014.
The rally is also part of a broad move by money managers willing to take on high risks in frontier markets across the globe on hopes of juicy returns that beat traditional emerging markets. That bet paid off handsomely in 2013 with countries including Argentina, Venezuela and Vietnam also scoring big gains although they also have a history of volatile movements and sudden declines.
The catalyst in Pakistan was the election in May of the Pakistan Muslim League led by Nawaz Sharif , a conservative business-friendly politician. It is the first time in the nation's history an elected government has handed over power to another, raising expectations for improved political stability.
Flows from foreign investors into Pakistan reached $283 million from the beginning of May, the month of the election, to the end of 2013, according to the National Clearing Company of Pakistan. Global investors have also snapped up Pakistani government bonds with yields, which move inversely to prices, falling to 7.54% recently from as high as 11.69% in April on the 10-year bond.
In a further sign of growing confidence, the government said last month it is also aiming to sell billions of rupee debt aimed at the Pakistani diaspora. A spokesman for the finance ministry said there is currently no specific time frame on the issuance of the bonds.
The optimism stems from the government paying off $5 billion in debt that was weighing on the energy sector, freeing up funds at fuel importers and power producers and distributors. The country also agreed to a long-term bailout loan of at least $6.6 billion from the International Monetary Fund to avoid a potential balance of payments crisis. The government has in addition announced a far reaching privatization program which will include the national airline and electricity producers.
The energy move was important given the country is plagued by electricity shortages, while the oil and gas sector accounts for nearly a third of the benchmark index in Karachi. The largest company on the index, energy firm Oil & Gas Development Co. rose 43.5% last year.
"Given that the general impression of the new government has been corporate friendly that is a very strong factor that made people more optimistic about Pakistan," said Mattias Martinsson, chief investment officer and partner at fund company Tundra Fonder in Stockholm, which runs a $30 million Pakistan fund.
Pakistani stockbrokers during a trading session at the Karachi Stock Exchange. Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
For all the gains however, the market is small with the market capitalization of the companies listed in Karachi at around $52 billion, according to securities firm Foundation Securities research. That compares to neighboring India where the companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange are valued at around $1.1 trillion, meaning Pakistan can be overlooked by larger investors.
"Pakistan as a market has very many companies that are trading below their fair value, but as it goes you get distracted by other more important markets," said Arnout van Rijn, chief investment officer at Robeco Asia Pacific in Hong Kong, who manages the $1.2 billion Robeco Asia-Pacific Equities fund.
The market has been volatile too, the currency and stocks plummeted in 1998 following a test of nuclear weapons that attracted international sanctions when Mr. Sharif was last in power.
The market has been up since the end of 2008 however, with shares soaring 329% to the end of 2013—despite the country being hit by a bloody Islamic insurgency, the economy nose-diving and Karachi being torn apart by gang violence during that period.
Some investors say that those companies that survive both a weak economy and regular violence throughout the country are well run, resilient and especially appealing. Unilever Pakistan Foods Ltd., a unit of the consumer goods giant, shot up 116% last year.
"When you have to deal in this kind of environment, I think you have to be extremely good as management to deal with it and survive," said Thomas Vester, fund manager at Lloyd George Management, who runs the firm's frontier market investments, and manages assets worth $656 million as of Oct. 31.
And the relative political stability now is encouraging more investors to focus on the country whose population of around 180 million makes it the sixth most populous country in the world and a potential draw for those betting on rising incomes and more consumer spending. The market remains cheap even after the strong run-up earlier this year—currently trading at over nine times trailing 12 month earnings—a common valuation measure used by stock analysts.
"Pakistan has a fairly diverse economy with a large and young population that needs to be fed and supplied basic infrastructure such as electricity," said Caglar Somek, global portfolio manager at Caravel Management in New York, which manages around $650 million.
"If you find the companies that supply those basic needs, growing at double digit with high profitability, you can buy them at valuations that are on average 30% to 40% cheaper than their emerging market peers," said Mr. Somek.
—Anjani Trivedi and Saeed Shah contributed to this article.
Write to Daniel Inman at daniel.inman@wsj.com