PCB pays unauthorized payments

PCB’s Rs16.386 Million Unauthorized Payouts, Including to Chairman Sethi

Unauthorized Payments Made to Shakil Ahmad Sheikh, Muhammad Haroon Rashid Dar, Najam Sethi, and Aizad Sayid The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) paid Rs 16.386 million in unauthorized meeting and daily allowances to members of its Board of Governors (BOG) and Management Committee during the 2022-23 fiscal year, an audit revealed. The payments exceeded the entitlements…

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Pakistan spends Lowest on Agriculture R7D in SAARC

Pakistan Allocates Lowest Percentage of Agricultural GDP to R&D in South Asia

Pakistan has the lowest allocation for agriculture Research and Development (R&D) among South Asian Nations, allocating just 0.12 percent of its Agricultural GDP. With the lowest spending among the SAARC countries, Islamabad also facing challenges in securing international grants for this sector, noted the Senate Standing Committee on Food Security and Research on Wednesday. The…

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Turkmenistan and Pakistan trade Talks, and Urea import

Government Orders Third-Party Audit of Fertilizer Companies, Eyes Turkmenistan Trade

The Ministry of Industries and Production on Thursday ordered a third-party audit of local fertilizer companies to determine production costs, aiming for transparency and fair pricing within the industry. Besides, Islamabad also eyes Turkmenistan trade including urea imports.   Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain announced this initiative during a Fertilizer Review…

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Military Courts Allowed to Announce their Reserved Decisions

Military Courts Granted Conditional Authority to Deliver Reserved Judgments

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has conditionally allowed military courts to deliver their reserved judgments, subject to specific conditions. Chaired by Justice Aminuddin Khan, a six-member bench presided over a hearing on intra-court appeals regarding civilian trials in military courts. Justices Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Hasan Azhar Rizvi, Shahid Waheed, Musarrat Hilali, and Irfan Saadat Khan…

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Pakistan petroleum imports to triple, gas pipeline approved

Pakistan Ministry Warns of $60B Petroleum Import Bill by 2044, Advances Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Despite US Concerns

Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy has warned that without substantial investments in indigenous energy resources and energy efficiency measures, the nation could face a staggering annual expenditure of $60 billion on petroleum imports by 2044, a significant leap from the current $17.5 billion in FY2022-23. Pakistan has recently approved work on work on an 80-kilometer portion…

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Amnesty Backlash, Baloch protesting against enforces disappearance

Pakistan Faces Amnesty International Backlash as Baloch Long March Ends Amid Harassment Allegations

The Government of Pakistan must guarantee the right to peaceful protest across the country, Amnesty International said Wednesday as the Baloch Long March protesters were forced to end their month-long sit-in protest in Islamabad following repeated harassment by the authorities. Hundreds of women in the Baloch Long March journeyed about a thousand miles from Turbat…

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Chinese Investment in Pakistan slowdown

Chinese Firms’ Withdrawal Dents Pakistan Steel Mills Privatization

Amid a substantial downturn in Chinese investment in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), several major Chinese companies have withdrawn from the proposed acquisition and investment in state-run Pakistan Steel Mills. The decision marks a setback for the privatization of this largest non-functional 19,000-acre industrial facility. Before ceasing its operations in June 2015, the facility was…

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Japanese carmakers in Pakistan

Pakistan Halts Auto Parts Import Quotas for Japanese Carmakers Over Policy Violations, No Licenses Revoked

Pakistan’s has ceased the revalidation of the auto parts imports quota of three Japanese carmakers Toyota, Honda and Suzuki for violating the requirements of auto policy 2021-26. No license has been suspended. They policy calls for localization of vehicles while these companies are importing over 75 percent from japan including engines. Besides, the policy has…

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Caretakers reach PTI to discuss the upcoming elections

Icebreaking Meeting: Caretaker Minister and PTI Leader Discuss Upcoming Elections

In a significant development in Pakistani politics, Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi reached PTI’s senior central leader Shafqat Mahmood and for the first time convened a meeting to address pressing concerns within the ‘Pakistan political landscape’. The primary objective was to foster a consensus regarding the forthcoming general elections and mitigate the ongoing political tension. The…

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Saudi Arabia wants to partner in Reko Diq

Sawiris Mulls $7bn Investment in Reko Diq; Saudi Arabia Wants to Be Partner

Naveed Ahmed Following Saudi Arabia, Egyptian tycoon Naguib Sawiris, a luminary in the realms of telecommunications and gold mining, is also considering a substantial investment in Pakistan’s Reko Diq Copper Gold project. As far as the volume of foreign investment is concerned, Sawiris wants to invest $7 billion. He wants to expand his business footprint…

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World Bank Vows Comprehensive Template to Boost Pakistan’s Power Reform

World Bank while pledging its support for Pakistan’s ongoing power sector reform efforts, promised to deliver a comprehensive privatization template to Islamabad next week, with the aim of expediting the privatization process for the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs). Simon Stolp, South Asia Practice Manager for Energy at the World Bank, and his team met with…

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Pakistan Hikes Liquefied Petroleum Gas Prices by 8.7% in Response to Saudi Aramco’s Action

Pakistan has implemented an 8.7% increase in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices for October 2023, equivalent to Rs20.86 per kilogram, affecting both domestic and commercial consumers. The new pricing, effective from October 1, 2023, establishes a rate of Rs3,080 for an 11.8 kg cylinder. This move represents the third consecutive month of LPG price hikes….

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