Pakistan

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Re-tendering begins for key contracts of ADB-funded scheme

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Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif chaired an important review meeting on polio eradication efforts, reaffirming the government’s commitment to eliminating the deadly disease from the country.

Health authorities have raised concerns over a potential rise in Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever cases ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, following the detection of the first reported case this year in Tando Muhammad Khan.

Faisalabad, Sheikhupura police reprimanded over failure

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Fines worth over Rs1 million imposed this month in Lahore

Untreated waste, groundwater overuse pose environmental risks

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Strong currents sweep away victims

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KARACHI: The Sindh government has cancelled the construction contract for the long-delayed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project on University Road and will re-award it on an “emergency basis”, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon confirmed on Wednesday. The government cancelled the contract for the Mosamiyat–Numaish section of the project. The stalled construction on the Red Line resumed in November after the removal of several bottlenecks following the chief minister’s intervention, but there is still no clear timeline in sight for the project’s completion as thousands of University Road commuters continue to face daily hardships. Speaking to Dawn, Memon confirmed that the contract had been terminated due to delays in the project’s execution by the contractor. He said the contractor was issued several warnings to complete the work within the stipulated time, but failed to comply. The government, he added, tried its level best to accommodate the contractor by resolving issues related to rate escalation. M...

ISLAMABAD: Amid public outcry over expensive power and excessive loadshedding, the government on Wednesday announced that it had unearthed expensive power purchases by distribution companies (Discos) outside the national grid at exorbitant rates in violation of the economic merit order. According to an official statement, the Discos were purchasing electricity from small power producers (SPPs) and captive power plants (CPPs) through bilateral contracts at higher rates than the national tariff, bypassing the national grid and the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO). It added that the names of the Discos and the quantum of power purchasing were not disclosed to allow an independent inquiry to take its course. The statement said that Power Minister Awais Leghari took notice regarding the off-take of power from SPPs by Discos, exceeding the national merit order and ordered the initiation of an independent probe. “The matter was revealed during the stock-taking of Discos and ISMO,” it said. Per the state...

ISLAMABAD: In an apparent push to modernise border control and cut wait time for travellers, Pakistan appears to be moving towards a “one-window” airport clearance system using e-gates and smart scanners, with a joint strategy by the Ministries of Defence and Interior coming under detailed discussion on Wednesday. The plan comes amid growing international passenger traffic and repeated complaints of congestion at major airports. In 2025, Pakistan handled 25.4 million domestic and international passengers, up 12 per cent year-on-year, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data. On Wednesday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi chaired a high-level meeting to address the dual challenge of facilitating outbound passengers while strengthening checks against human smuggling. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry, Interior Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha, Defence Secretary Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Ali, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) DG Dr Usman Anwar and other officials. ...

Defence and Aviation Minister Khawaja Asif has announced the resumption of domestic operations by Fly Jinnah, marking a significant development in Pakistan’s aviation sector.

The Government of Punjab has unveiled plans to introduce an e-bike scheme for teachers, aiming to provide an affordable and efficient commuting solution across the province.

Schools in India’s capital must ring regular bells to remind schoolchildren to drink water as the megacity gears up to face heatwave conditions, a new city order has said. Summer heat in the world’s most populous nation can be brutal — putting millions of people at risk, with nearly 11,000 people dying due to heat stroke between 2012 and 2021, according to government data. A heatwave in May 2024 in New Delhi saw temperatures match the capital’s previous record high: 49.2 degree Celsius clocked in 2022. That year was India’s hottest year since thorough records began in 1901, with sizzling temperatures following a global pattern of extreme weather driven by climate change. The temperature on Wednesday morning in New Delhi and the wider sprawling metropolitan region of 30 million residents was a relatively balmy 29.4 degree Celsius. But weather forecasters predict temperatures will hit 41-43 degree Celsius later on Wednesday, and rise to 42-44 degree Celsius later in the week. The India Meteorological Department...