Author: Admin

PM Seeks IMF Approval for Power Bill Waiver in Flood-Hit Areas

Admin
New-IMF

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE/SUKKUR: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Ministry of Finance to seek the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) approval for a one-month exemption from electricity bills for households devastated by recent floods across Pakistan. He stressed the urgency of immediate relief, asking the ministry to begin talks with the IMF without delay. Officials said the relief would apply across all flood-hit regions, urban and rural, to ease the burden on disaster-stricken families. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has requested deployment of 1,710 Pakistan Army personnel to assist civil authorities in post-flood…

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APTMA, US Envoy Explore Cotton, Textile Cooperation to Boost Bilateral Trade

Admin
New-APTMA

LAHORE: Acting US Ambassador to Pakistan Natalie A. Baker met with the leadership of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and investment, particularly in cotton and textiles. She was accompanied by US Consul General Lahore Stetson Sanders, Political and Economic Chief William Campbell, and Economic Specialist Amna Anis. APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad, along with senior office bearers, highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan’s textile sector, which contributes 62% of the country’s total exports. He noted that Pakistan’s declining domestic cotton production has increased reliance on…

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Power Division Unveils Draft Auction Process for Electricity Wheeling

Admin
Power-Division

ISLAMABAD: The Power Division has finalized a draft framework for conducting electricity wheeling auctions under the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM), with the proposal set to be discussed at a stakeholders’ workshop on September 19, 2025. Prepared under Clause 3.2 of the Framework Guidelines for Wheeling Auctions 2025, the draft lays out a detailed two-step process—submission of proposals followed by bidding—for eligible participants. The Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO) will publish an annual auction calendar, specifying timelines for requests for proposals (RFPs), eligibility evaluations, grievance redressal, and bid…

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PEC, Chinese Firms Launch Training Program for 100 Pakistani Engineers

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CPEC-IPPs

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company, Sino Sindh Resources, and Shanghai Electric Engineering Consulting Company to enhance the skills of Pakistani engineers through training, exchange, and scholarships under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The five-year collaboration will train 100 fresh graduates through annual six-week programmes at Thar, combining classroom instruction with hands-on experience in power plant and mining operations. Additionally, 5–10 engineers will be sent to China each year for advanced short-term training in modern energy…

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Nepra Slaps Rs248m Fine on Gepco, Sepco for Overbilling and Illegal Load shedding

Admin
Nepra-tariff

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has imposed a combined penalty of Rs248 million on Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) for overbilling and illegal loadshedding in violation of consumer service rules and regulatory directives. In two separate orders issued after proceedings spanning more than three years, Nepra fined Gepco Rs200m for overbilling 1,298 consumers through detection bills on account of slow meters, while Sepco was penalized Rs48m for carrying out Aggregate Technical and Commercial (ATC)-based loadshedding, a practice declared illegal by the…

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