Punjab to Slash Power Tariffs Using Profits from State-Owned Power Plants

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LAHORE: In a major relief move, the Punjab government announced that it will finance a significant power tariff reduction by utilizing billions in profits and savings from two of its state-owned power companies — Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Pvt Ltd and Punjab Thermal Power Pvt Ltd. The provincial cabinet approved a 30-40% tariff cut for electricity generated by these plants, aligning with the federal government’s earlier initiative of renegotiating contracts with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to lower costs. According to officials, both thermal power companies will forgo annual profits of Rs12-13…

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Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant to Add 1,200 MW Clean Energy to National Grid

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The under-construction Chashma-5 Nuclear Power Plant is poised to inject 1,200 megawatts (MW) of clean, safe, and low-cost electricity into Pakistan’s national grid, further strengthening the country’s energy mix. During a recent media briefing at the Chashma Nuclear Complex, General Manager Engineer Habibur Rehman shared updates on the project, underscoring Pakistan’s ambition to raise its nuclear power capacity to 8,000 MW. He emphasized the role of nuclear energy in ensuring a sustainable and affordable power supply. The Chashma-5 plant, based on the state-of-the-art Hualong One (HPR1000) reactor design, is a…

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Federal Maritime Affairs Minister Announces Plan to Establish Pakistan’s Own Shipping Line

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KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, has announced that the government has agreed in principle to establish Pakistan’s own shipping line, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the country’s business community. The announcement came during the minister’s visit to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Head Office in Karachi, where he held an extensive consultative session with leading figures from the business, trade, and shipping sectors. Mr. Atif Ikram Sheikh, President of FPCCI, informed the media that the federal minister had endorsed the federation’s…

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Pakistan Produces 55 billion Plastic Bags Annually: FPCCI Marks World Environment Day with Urgent Call to Action

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Only 3% of Plastic Waste Recycled as Experts Demand Shift to Eco-Friendly Alternatives Karachi: Provincial governments in Pakistan should launch mass awareness campaigns to encourage the public to adopt environment-friendly alternatives to plastic shopping bags and PET bottles and to promote the reuse and recycling of waste to reduce the carbon footprint associated with daily consumption habits in society. This was the key consensus among environmentalists, climate activists, media professionals, and industrialists at an event held to commemorate World Environment Day. The United Nations has designated this year’s theme as…

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OCAC Urges Rs10/Litre OMC Margin, Proposes Joint Formula with Ogra and Petroleum Division

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KARACHI – The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) has called for an immediate revision of oil marketing company (OMC) margins to Rs10 per litre and urged the development of a formal pricing formula in collaboration with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), and the oil industry. In a letter to the Ogra chairperson, the OCAC emphasized the urgent need to revise OMC margins, citing challenges such as fuel smuggling, a high turnover tax, insufficient margins, and escalating operational costs. The council referenced a…

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