Wapda Chairman Reviews Dasu Hydropower Project Progress

LAHORE, May 16 – Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Engineer Lt Gen (Retd) Sajjad Ghani, conducted a detailed visit to the Dasu Hydropower Project site, located on the Indus River in Upper Kohistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to assess ongoing construction progress. During the visit, the chairman inspected key components of the project including the *river diversion system, main dam, powerhouse, and the *relocated section of the Karakoram Highway (KKH-1). He was briefed by the project team—comprising the general manager/project director, consultants, and contractors—on site-specific targets and the…

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LPG Safety Bill Stalled for Two Years as Deadly Explosions Continue Across Pakistan

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ISLAMABAD, May 16 – Despite the alarming rise in fatal LPG-related incidents nationwide, the Ministry of Law has delayed approval of a critical safety bill proposed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for the past two years, drawing strong criticism from industry stakeholders and safety advocates. The *LPG Industry Amendment Bill, submitted by Ogra, recommends stringent penalties, including *10 years’ imprisonment and a Rs10 million fine for general violations, and 14 years in prison with a Rs15 million fine for those responsible for deadly LPG cylinder and bowser…

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Pakistan Urges IAEA Probe into India’s Nuclear Material Theft Amid Rising Tensions

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ISLAMABAD, May 16 – Pakistan has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to launch an investigation into repeated incidents of nuclear material theft and illicit trafficking in India, warning of the emergence of a dangerous “nuclear black market” across the border. The Foreign Office on Thursday rejected recent comments by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who called for IAEA oversight of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, and instead turned the spotlight on India’s alarming record of radioactive security breaches. “If anything, the IAEA and the international community should be alarmed…

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Senate Panel Approves IMF-Backed Grid Levy Bill for Captive Power Plants

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ISLAMABAD, May 16 – The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue on Thursday unanimously approved the Captive Power Plants Levy Bill 2025, granting legal cover to a controversial grid levy imposed on natural gas and RLNG supplies to industrial captive power plants (CPPs), effective from March 7. The bill, introduced at the behest of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is part of Pakistan’s commitments under the \$7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF). It aims to encourage industrial CPPs to shift to the national electricity grid, reduce excess power capacity…

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NIMA and ISSI Host Groundbreaking International Seminar on Deep-Sea Mining in Islamabad

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Islamabad, May 2025 – The National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), in collaboration with the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), convened its maiden international seminar titled “Deep-Sea Mining: Prospects & The Global Conservation Imperatives”, drawing over 200 participants including policymakers, scientists, environmentalists, industry leaders, and students. The high-level forum sparked vital discourse on striking a balance between the economic potential of deep-sea resource extraction and the urgent need to protect delicate marine ecosystems. Opening the event, Vice Admiral Ahmed Saeed, President of NIMA, underscored the ocean’s dual role as…

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