Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday conceded before the parliament that the development spending had flattened despite over 47 per cent increase in revenue growth, 37pc cut in subsidies and 170pc higher cash surpluses provided by four provinces. In its mid-year budget review report to the parliament as required under section 34(1) of the Public Finance Management Act 2019, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said the above consolidation helped contain fiscal deficit at 1.9pc of GDP in July-December 2024 against 2.5pc last year and put primary surplus — the gap between total revenue and total expenditure minus debt servicing — at a comfortable 2.3pc of GDP against 1.4pc surplus last year. The report said the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) consumed Rs261bn in first six months of current year compared to Rs255bn a year ago. The four provinces provided Rs775bn cash surplus in the first half compared to Rs289bn last year. It said that due to sound macroeconomic management, effective inflation control measure...

KARACHI: Port operations continued as usual on Friday, as the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) successfully restored its X (formerly Twitter) accounts. This came after reports suggested that the accounts had been hacked and spread false information, claiming that the port had suffered significant damage due to a strike by India, resulting in substantial losses for the facility. “Our IT team has recovered the social media accounts in 30 minutes,” a KPT official said, adding that a media team was also invited in the evening to witness smooth cargo handling operations while no infrastructure was damaged. KPT handled 168,082 tonnes of cargo, comprising 108,856 tonnes of import and 59,226 tonnes of export. A total of eight ships took berths while three ships sailed out. Around nine ships carrying containers, general cargo, and ammonium nitrate will arrive in the next two days. Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Friday notified a reduction of Rs1.55 per unit in electricity tariffs across the country for a period of three months, from May to July 2025, under a quarterly adjustment mechanism. This cut comes in addition to a 29-paisa per unit fuel cost adjustment for ex-Wapda distribution companies (Discos) and a Rs3.64 per unit reduction for K-Electric consumers for the month of May. As a result, consumers of Discos will receive a total of Rs1.84 per unit cheaper electricity in May and then Rs1.55 per unit in June and July. Similarly, K-Electric consumers will enjoy about Rs5.19 per unit cheaper rates in May and then Rs1.55 per unit in June and July. The regulator said it allowed Rs1.55 per unit negative adjustment on account of the quarterly tariff adjustment for the January-March quarter of the current fiscal year. The notification said Nepra “has decided to allow negative quarterly adjustments of Rs52.6bn pertaining to the third quarter of the fi...

Around two months before his latest derangement, India’s Narendra Modi paid tribute to his RSS inspiration, Veer Savarkar. As the founding father of Hindutva, Savarkar’s ideas have long informed Modi’s actions. And those ideas are pretty basic. “India should follow the German example to solve the Muslim problem,” Savarkar said in 1938, “…Germany has every right to resort to Nazism and Italy to fascism — and events have justified those -isms.” Given such events reduced Europe to the bloodlands of World War II, Modi now wishes the same for South Asia: Pakistan and India have been closest to war in half a century; fighter jets tango overhead; and a new generation wakes up to the sirens their grandparents once had to. At the brink of war, again But we’re here now, and it mostly has to do with Delhi’s own neuroses: the rabid base, the status anxiety, and an occupation that refuses to resolve itself. Modi’s annexation drive in Kashmir was demographic change 101; the “Muslim problem”, to quote Savarkar, would be res...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Friday approved the immediate disbursement of about $1 billion to Pakistan under the ongoing Extended Fund Faci­li­ty (EFF) and allowed an additional arrangement for the $1.4bn Resilience and Sus­tainability Facility (RSF). In a statement issued today, the IMF said its Executive Board completed the first review of Pakistan’s economic reform program supported by the EFF Arrangement. “This decision allows for an immediate disbursement of around $1bn (SDR 760 million), bringing total disbursements under the arrangement to about $2.1bn (SDR 1.52 billion). In addition, the IMF Executive Board approved the authorities’ request for an arrangement under the RSF, with access of about $1.4bn (SDR 1 billion),” it said. It noted that Pakistan’s policy efforts under the EFF had already delivered “significant progress” in stabilising the economy and rebuilding confidence, amidst a challenging global environment. “Fiscal performance has been strong, with a primary surplus of two per ...

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Pakistani citizens seeking employment in Canada must get a work permit, also known as a Canada work visa. This visa lets foreign nationals work in Canada for a specific period under some specified conditions. Types of Canada Work Visas Open Work Visa – This visa lets foreign nationals choose any employer to work with in […]

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has taken a key step, offering first-time applicants the opportunity to get their national ID cards made free of charge. This step is to make the ID registration easier for Pakistani citizens. Also, the integration of smart features into the non-chip ID card system makes it more prominent. […]

The Lord of the Rings cinematic universe is officially expanding once again. Warner Bros. has confirmed that The Hunt for Gollum, the much-anticipated return to Middle-earth, will now release on December 17, 2027. Originally planned for a 2026 debut, the film experienced significant delays, but is now firmly on track, marking another major chapter in […]

A day after Blake Lively’s lawyer confirmed she would testify in court in her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, his lawyer suggested that her testimony be livestreamed. To Read Lifestyle Stories in Urdu- Click Here Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni last year, accusing him of sexual harassment and a smear campaign during the production of […]

An exclusive floating hotel near Portsmouth Harbour, UK, which has been abandoned for the past five years, is getting Viral on social media, after a travel vlogger shared its footage. Though the hotel has been vacant, its interiors remain remarkably intact. The floating hotel was originally a military defense fort, which was used during World […]

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has announced a reduction in electricity prices for Karachi citizens, giving essential relief to consumers facing high energy costs. According to the reports, NEPRA’s latest notification will help K-Electric consumers have a reduction of Rs3.64 per unit under the monthly fuel adjustment for February 2025. Simultaneously, electricity consumers […]

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday an 80% tariff on Chinese goods “seems right,” for the first time suggesting a specific alternative to the 145% levies he has imposed on Chinese imports ahead of closely watched weekend talks. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and chief trade negotiator Jamieson Greer will meet Chinese economic tsar […]