Year: 2021

The government’s indecisiveness on the multi-million dollar Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project has put the investment from Korea Telecom Limited and Kaifa Consortium in jeopardy as top mandarins at the Power Division (PD) and Planning Commission (PC) have so far failed to take a decision about the fate of the project. “The project that was meant to reduce electricity theft and improve recovery through accurate billing, keeping in view the real time data, is being treated between the two ministries like a ping pong ball,” a senior official at the…

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The colour green, denoting cleanliness and freshness, has been reduced to a buzzword across the country, for projects aiming to counter the challenges of pollution, global warming and climate change registered to affect the atmosphere, public health, livelihood and ultimately the economy. However, the question of sustainability is frequently ignored in such projects. The scenario in the metropolis is no different, with different groups, organisations and people in their individual capacities trying to provide much required “green cover” during the ongoing, country-wide, monsoon season tree plantation. The need for a…

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As another major supply disruption of liquefied natural gas (LNG) looms large, the government is looking for legally safe and commercially viable alternatives to allow continuation of ‘larger replacement regasification terminal’ currently operating in Port Qasim as a fait accompli to avoid major power shortfalls and have greater gas availability during winters. Engro Elengy Terminal Limited (EETL) has told the government entities that due to exchange of its Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU), there will be complete disruption of regasification process for 60 to 90 hours between Sept 7…

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The government on Sunday kept unchanged the prices of two major petroleum products — petrol and high speed diesel — and slightly increased those of kerosene and light diesel oil for the next 16 days i.e. till Aug 31. According to a notification issued by finance ministry, the ex-depot price of petrol was kept unchanged at Rs119.80 per litre and that of high speed diesel (HSD) at Rs116.53. On the other hand, the price of kerosene was increased by 81 paisa to Rs88.30 from Rs87.49 per litre and that of…

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Pakistan turned 74 last week. It has travelled a long distance since then, but, with 8.5 million people currently unemployed and around 40 per cent surviving below the poverty line, its economic performance has been far from being enviable. Pakistan ranked a low 129th amongst 193 UN member states in the 2021 Sustainable Development Report, slipping 14 steps in five years since 2016. Pakistanis deserve better. What has kept the fifth most populous nation which is naturally resourceful, geographically well-positioned, and harbouring a 990km hot water coastline, from realising its…

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