Author: Admin

FBR Collects Rs. 490 Billion in Taxes via Electricity Bills in FY25

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FBR-Tex

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) collected nearly Rs. 490 billion in taxes through electricity bills in FY2024-25, a drop from Rs. 600 billion in the previous fiscal year. The revenue comprised Withholding Tax (WHT) and General Sales Tax (GST), primarily passed on to consumers via monthly power bills. This decline coincided with a 3.6% reduction in overall electricity consumption, which fell to 80,111 GWh during July–March FY25 from 83,109 GWh in the same period last year. Industrial power usage saw a sharp drop, plummeting from 28,830 GWh in…

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Govt Mulls Lifting Ban on New Gas Connections Amid LNG Surplus

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SSGC-SNGPL

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is considering lifting the ban on new gas connections to absorb surplus imported LNG, safeguard pipeline infrastructure, and avoid breaching sovereign LNG supply contracts. The Ministry of Finance has proposed revisiting the 2022 ban, highlighting that excess LNG imports are straining foreign exchange reserves due to high procurement costs. Currently, over 3.5 million new gas connection applications are pending with Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL). The ban on new gas connections was first imposed in 2009, partially relaxed…

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World Bank Flags Slow Progress on $300m SWAT Project

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world-bank

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of the \$300 million Sindh Water and Agriculture Transformation (SWAT) project, rating its overall progress as “moderately unsatisfactory” in its latest Implementation Status and Results Report (ISR). Approved in December 2022, the SWAT project aims to enhance agricultural water productivity in selected farmers’ organization (FO) command areas, strengthen integrated water resources management (IWRM), and help restore crop production for small and medium-sized farmers impacted by the devastating 2022 floods. While the Bank rated progress toward achieving the…

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Nationwide Solar Shift Crucial for Economic Stability, Says FPCCI Official

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FPCCI-Project

LAHORE: Pakistan can unlock significant environmental and economic gains by embracing solar energy on a national scale, said Shahid Imran, Convener of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Committee on Food. Speaking to a delegation of industrialists led by Zia Ur Rehman, Imran stressed that with over 300 sunny days annually, Pakistan holds vast untapped potential for solar power generation. “A transition to solar energy will reduce dependence on costly imported fossil fuels, ease pressure on the national exchequer, and help shrink the trade deficit,”…

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EV Makers Urge Swift Development of Charging Infrastructure, Retrofitting Support

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Electric-Vehicle

ISLAMABAD: Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers have voiced serious concerns over the lack of charging infrastructure and high upfront costs, warning that these obstacles could derail Pakistan’s clean energy ambitions. The concerns were raised during a consultative meeting held by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCCEC) on Friday, chaired by Secretary Aisha Humera Moriani. The meeting focused on accelerating the transition to electric mobility, scaling up EV charging stations, retrofitting fuel-powered vehicles, and exploring financing options to make EVs more accessible. Industry representatives emphasized the urgent need for…

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