Author: Admin

Zero Tariffs on US Goods: A Strategic Move to Secure Trade Ties with Trump

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Zero-Tariffs

By Farrukh Saleem US President Donald Trump is reshaping global trade dynamics with an aggressive tariff strategy, leveraging America’s $800 billion trade deficit to dictate terms. Unlike many world leaders who react to changing circumstances, Trump has seized the initiative, setting the pace of international trade policy with a clear strategic vision. For *Pakistan, the US remains a **crucial trade partner, being the **only major economy where Pakistan enjoys a multi-billion-dollar trade surplus. To sustain this advantage, Pakistan must employ *strategic diplomacy, economic rationale, and political leverage with precision. Trump…

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Energy Sector Circular Debt Surges to Rs4,700 Billion, Posing Major Fiscal Risk

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Circular-Debt

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Finance has identified the rising circular debt in the energy sector as a *major fiscal challenge, warning that its continued growth threatens *economic stability. According to official documents, the circular debt stood at Rs4,700 billion as of *December 2024, with *Rs2,400 billion attributed to the power sector and Rs2,300 billion to the gas sector. The ministry cautions that the government lacks a clear strategy or financial capacity to resolve the crisis. With *limited room for tariff adjustments, the *mounting debt is expected to *hinder development spending,…

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Punjab Implements Advanced Thermal Imaging for Forest Monitoring

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Thermal-Imaging

LAHORE: The Punjab government has introduced cutting-edge thermal imaging technology for *24/7 satellite monitoring of forests, enabling *real-time detection of forest fires, illegal logging, and unauthorized activities. Punjab is the first province in Pakistan to deploy *thermal imaging for forest surveillance, launched under the directives of **Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. The initiative has commenced in **Murree and Rawalpindi, with enhanced *nighttime patrolling and live satellite feeds ensuring constant oversight. A specialized team of artificial intelligence (AI) experts will manage the system. The technology operates on *advanced algorithms, enabling *instant…

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Nepra Approves Rs3.02 per Unit Negative FCA for KE, Withholds Rs2 Billion

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NEPRA-KE

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has approved a negative Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) of Rs3.021 per unit for K-Electric (KE) consumers for *January 2025, allowing a refund of *Rs2.93 billion in April’s electricity bills. However, Nepra has withheld Rs2 billion from the total negative adjustment. During a public hearing on *March 20, Karachi-based consumers opposed the adjustment of past dues under various accounts. Nepra stated that the *negative FCA will be applied provisionally and adjusted later based on KE’s Multi-Year Tariff (MYT) for 2024-30. The refund excludes…

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Global Coal Power Rises Slightly in 2024 Despite Renewable Surge

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Coal-power

SINGAPORE: Global coal power capacity saw a modest increase of 18.8 gigawatts (GW) in 2024—its smallest annual rise in two decades, according to the latest report by US-based Global Energy Monitor (GEM). Despite rapid growth in renewable energy, 12 countries commissioned 44GW of new coal-fired plants last year, outweighing the *25.2GW of retirements. This brought the world’s total coal generation capacity to **2,143GW, marking a *13% increase compared to levels at the time of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. China led the additions with 30.5GW of new coal capacity in…

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