Year: 2025

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb informed the Senate on Monday that the IMF’s Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Assessment (GCDA) report is an important milestone toward long-overdue institutional reforms. He emphasised that the government itself initiated and supported the entire assessment process. Closing the debate on a motion moved by JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, the minister said the report examines seven key areas — including judicial oversight and corruption — and identifies structural gaps that must be addressed. He termed the findings “a positive development” and noted that the IMF has…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has emerged as a regional leader in solar energy, surpassing major economies such as China and India, according to the latest data from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). Solar energy production through net metering has now exceeded 174 gigawatts, reflecting rapid and unprecedented adoption across the country. Rising electricity tariffs, frequent load-shedding, and growing energy demand in industrial and residential sectors have driven the shift toward solar power. The adoption is no longer limited to households, with large-scale commercial and industrial installations becoming a significant component…

ISLAMABAD: Denmark has launched a three-year partnership with Pakistani institutions to enhance energy planning, data management, and grid efficiency, officials said during a bilateral meeting in Islamabad. The collaboration comes as Pakistan’s industrial sector increasingly shifts to solar and other renewable energy solutions, reducing pressure on the national grid but creating new challenges for grid revenue models. Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan met with Denmark’s Ambassador to Pakistan to discuss strategies for re-integrating industries into the grid and expanding new industrial demand to ensure long-term sustainability. The minister…

LAHORE: The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) on Thursday reviewed progress on agreements, MoUs, and joint ventures concluded during the prime minister’s recent visit to China, directing ministries to refine their data, streamline coordination, and finalise follow-up actions ahead of the next briefing to the prime minister. The fourth meeting of the China-implementation monitoring committee, held at the SIFC Secretariat and chaired by the SAPM on Industries and Production, received a detailed progress report from the Board of Investment (BoI), highlighting active coordination between federal ministries and Chinese companies and…