Year: 2025

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday announced that the federal government will bear the electricity costs of domestic consumers in flood-affected areas for the month of August. In a video message, the prime minister said these consumers would not be required to pay their electricity bills for last month, while those who had already cleared payments would receive adjustments in their upcoming bills. He confirmed that clear instructions had been issued to power distribution companies to ensure swift implementation. Shehbaz Sharif added that an assessment of agricultural, commercial, and…

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ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening cultural ties with China and the global community, stressing that art and culture serve as vital bridges for peace, prosperity, and a shared future. Addressing the Second Golden Panda Awards International Culture Forum in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the president highlighted the power of cultural exchanges and creative industries in uniting people and fostering tolerance. The forum was attended by senior Chinese leaders, international delegates, artists, and cultural representatives, according to the Presidency’s press release. President Zardari underlined that…

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on the directive of Nasir Shah, CEO STDC Saleem Sheikh and his team’s efforts temporarily restore the tower; 100 MW electricity supply resumed Karachi (): Sindh Minister for Energy, Development, and Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, stated that due to flooding at Thaddo Dam, a 132kV tower of the Sindh Transmission & Dispatch Company (STDC) collapsed, resulting in an interruption of 100 MW electricity supply to Karachi. Acting promptly, Minister Shah directed STDC CEO Saleem Ahmed Sheikh to immediately restore the tower and resume power transmission to Karachi. Following Minister…

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday announced that Pakistan will host the next Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, directing authorities to begin preparations immediately. The announcement comes less than two weeks after the recently concluded SCO Summit in Tianjin, China, where Pakistan raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty and endorsed a joint declaration condemning terrorist attacks on the Jaffar Express, Khuzdar, and Pahalgam. Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, the prime minister stressed the need for early arrangements. “We have to start preparing now. We need to…

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ISLAMABAD: The government’s much-touted off-grid levy on captive power plants (CPPs) has failed to deliver the expected windfall, with revenue collections set to fall drastically short of the Rs105 billion target as industrial gas consumption plunges. For April, May, and June 2025, the levy was fixed at Rs570, Rs550, and Rs402 per MMBTU respectively. Yet official data shows gas usage by CPPs has collapsed—from 150 mmcfd to just 26 mmcfd in the SNGPL region, and from 200 mmcfd to 95 mmcfd elsewhere—against budget assumptions of 350 mmcfd. The shortfall stems…

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