Day: November 10, 2026

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has nominated career diplomat Natalie Baker as the next US Ambassador to Pakistan, submitting her name to the US Senate for confirmation, according to a White House announcement issued on November 9. Baker, a senior member of the US Foreign Service holding the rank of Minister-Counselor, has been nominated as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Her nomination is subject to Senate approval before she can formally take charge of the diplomatic mission. Baker is currently serving as the US Chargé…

Read More

ISLAMABAD: The federal government collected Rs220 billion through the Petroleum Levy during the first two months (July and August) of the current fiscal year 2026-27, according to official data. The government is continuing negotiations with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) over ways to reduce the petroleum levy. However, the budgetary framework agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) leaves limited fiscal space for any reduction at this stage. It remains unclear how the government plans to address JI’s demand for rationalising the levy burden. Meanwhile,…

Read More

LAHORE: The FPCCI Businessmen Panel (BMP) has called for comprehensive reforms in Pakistan’s energy sector, warning that the country is spending approximately Rs3.5 trillion annually on avoidable energy imports, putting pressure on foreign exchange reserves and increasing electricity costs for businesses and consumers. BMP Chairman and former FPCCI President Mian Anjum Nisar said Pakistan could no longer afford excessive dependence on imported fuels and equipment when substantial opportunities existed to conserve energy, utilise available power generation capacity and strengthen domestic manufacturing. He observed that the country’s energy crisis was not…

Read More

ISLAMABAD: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has reported outstanding receivables of Rs169.27 billion from the power sector, warning that mounting arrears have triggered a severe liquidity crisis and undermined its ability to meet payment commitments to upstream gas suppliers. In a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guarantee (CPPA-G), SNGPL has called for urgent settlement of overdue payments, cautioning that continued financial constraints could expose Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) to potential international payment defaults against imported re-gasified liquefied…

Read More

TARBELA: All workers were safely evacuated following a water ingress incident during excavation work at the second Bench Connecting Tunnel of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) said on Monday. According to a Wapda press release, a section of weak rock mass collapsed during tunnel excavation, allowing water from the Intake Pit to enter the tunnel and the under-construction Power House area. However, all workers were immediately evacuated to safety, with no injuries or loss of life reported. Wapda said water from the…

Read More