Author: Admin

ISLAMABAD: April 20, 2026) The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) has signed a Transaction Advisory Services Agreement (TASA) with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. Under this agreement, the IFC will act as transaction advisor and conduct a comprehensive techno-commercial assessment for a service-provider model or public-private partnership framework to support the large-scale rollout of smart metering infrastructure for 10 million single-phase connections. This initiative is intended to attract local and international investors to install, maintain, and operate the infrastructure, thereby advancing Pakistan’s digital…

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ISLAMABAD: The Power Division has warned that failure to secure immediate liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies could lead to higher electricity costs and prolonged load-shedding across Pakistan. In a letter to the Petroleum Division, officials highlighted that electricity demand is rising rapidly due to increasing temperatures, making LNG crucial for power generation. The Power Division has requested urgent arrangements for at least four LNG cargoes to meet the growing demand. According to sources, the letter emphasized that LNG under long-term agreements with Qatar should be prioritized to ensure timely supply…

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ISLAMABAD: Prolonged power outages across Pakistan have significantly disrupted business operations and educational activities in multiple cities, with load-shedding durations rising sharply in recent days. In Karachi, scheduled load-shedding has exceeded 12 hours in several areas. Even localities previously exempt from outages are now facing extended power cuts lasting several hours. Similarly, Peshawar is experiencing severe electricity shortages, with outages stretching up to 16 hours a day. In Quetta, residents are dealing with 4 to 6 hours of load-shedding, while other districts of Balochistan are witnessing routine outages of 8…

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ISLAMABAD: Islamabad is set to host the second round of high-stakes negotiations between United States and Iran, after the White House confirmed that a senior American delegation will arrive in Pakistan this week. The delegation will be led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and include President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and senior adviser Jared Kushner. The upcoming talks follow a marathon 21-hour round of negotiations held last week that ended without a breakthrough. However, diplomatic sources indicate that intensive backchannel engagement since then has raised cautious…

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ISLAMABAD: Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) has raised serious concerns over alleged violations of public procurement rules by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in a recent tender, urging authorities to declare the process as “mis-procurement” and cancel the contract. In a letter addressed to the Managing Director of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), TIP highlighted irregularities in Tender No. SNC-1930/25 for the procurement of air intake filter elements and pre-filter stocks. According to the complaint, bids were invited with a closing date of October 28, 2025. However, one of…

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