Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers across the country are expected to receive an unusual relief of Rs1.75 per unit over the next three months (June to August), due to Rs64 billion in savings mainly on account of lower capacity charges paid to power producers during the first quarter (January–March 2026) of the current year, it emerged on Wednesday. Under the annual tariff rebasing mechanism, the government revised tariff-setting to a calendar-year basis, with effect from January 1, 2026, from the historic practice of fiscal-year adjustments. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has called a public hearing on May 19 at the request of former Wapda distribution companies (Discos), which have sought a Rs63.94 billion refund to consumers under the quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA) mechanism. The refund is estimated to result in a negative QTA of about Rs1.75 per unit for three billing months. Consumers are currently paying about 42 paisa per unit in positive QTA on account of higher costs of Rs10...

Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and discussed matters related to mutual interests.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki on Wednesday addressed the Sixth International Paigham-e-Islam Conference held at the Jinnah Convention Centre, bringing together leading Ulema and Mashaikh, diplomats, politicians, academicians, and senior government officials.

Australia’s Royal Military College (RMC) has declared Pakistan Army Cadet Sardar Arsam Abbas the “overall best foreign military cadet”, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday. “The Australian RMC, Duntroon has declared Pakistani army Cadet Sardar Arsam Abbas (PMA 152 Long Course) the ‘overall best foreign military cadet’ in the passing out parade held at RMC Duntroon, Canberra on May 5,” ISPR said in a statement. The statement said that the award was conferred upon the highest performing foreign military cadet across all facets of training. “This is a testament to the highest standards of professionalism, commitment and excellence demonstrated by the junior leadership of the Pakistan Army,” the military’s media wing said. It stated that the commissioning parade was reviewed by the Australian Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart and other officials. The event was witnessed by members of the diplomatic corps, including the Pakistani high commissioner in Canberra, families of gradu...

ISLAMABAD: Key capital market institutions of Pakistan on Wednesday established the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF), aimed at promoting financial literacy, expanding financial inclusion and increasing retail investor participation in the capital markets across the country. The main participants of the CMDF included the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), Central Depository Company (CDC), National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCCPL), Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMX) and the Institute of Financial Markets of Pakistan (IFMP). The CMDF was established under the auspices of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to ensure coordination in the industry and strengthen the institutional capacity in Pakistan’s capital markets. Addressing the ceremony, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said recent regional tensions had reinforced the need for Pakistan to make independent commercial decisions, diversify energy resources, and mobilise domestic capital for national development. “We must re...

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would play a “greater role” in ending hostilities in the Middle East during talks with his Iranian counterpart on Wednesday, a week before US President Donald Trump is due to meet Xi Jinping. China is a key customer for Iranian oil, defying sanctions imposed by the United States, and is directly affected by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, bordered by Iran. Beijing has quietly engaged in efforts to resolve the weekslong crisis and its diplomacy is credited with playing an important role in the fragile ceasefire agreed between Washington and Tehran. China “will work harder to ease tensions and end the fighting, continue to support the launch of peace talks, and play a greater role in restoring peace and tranquillity to the Middle East”, Wang told Iran’s Abbas Araghchi in Beijing. “China considers that a complete cessation of fighting must be achieved without delay, that it is even more unacceptable to restart hostilities, and that continuing to negotiate remai...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast heatwave conditions across the country this week, starting in the south and central areas from Thursday. “Due to the presence of high pressure in the upper atmosphere, heatwave conditions are likely to develop over southern and central parts of the country from May 7-11 [and] in upper parts from May 8-10,” a press release issued on Wednesday by the PMD said. It noted that daytime maximum temperatures may rise to 46-50°C in Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghotki, Khairpur, Nausheroferoze, Jacobabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Sibbi, Turbat and Panjgur. It also forecast 43-47°C weather in Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Bhakkar, Rajanpur, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Khanewal, Pakpattan, Sahiwal, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Tank and Dera Ismail Khan; and 39-43°C in the upper regions, namely Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kohat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Sargodha, Mianwali, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Khushab, Gujrat,...

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed hope on Wednesday that the indefinitely extended ceasefire between the United States and Iran could be made permanent. US President Donald Trump has indefinitely extended what was initially a two-week ceasefire between the two countries, brokered with the help of Pakistan’s mediation, but the conflict — and its widespread economic fallout — remains unresolved. Addressing the second session of the Ulema Council Conference in Islamabad, the foreign minister said that Pakistan’s efforts had been directed towards securing direct negotiations and a ceasefire — “first it happened, then it was extended, then extended a second time, then a third time”. “At least the deaths of several hundred people a day — with the toll going into the thousands — has stopped,” he added. He called on the council to pray for Pakistan’s efforts, saying that they were now geared towards turning the ceasefire into a “permanent end to the war”. Dar also called on Muslim states ...

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Punjab, has issued a warning about an intense heatwave likely to affect the province from May 7 to 11.

The government planned a 500-megawatt floating solar power project at Keenjhar Lake in Sindh for the generation of clean, renewable energy to support the country’s growing energy needs while reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has unveiled a lineup of events scheduled from May 8 to 10 to mark the Marka-e-Haq celebrations.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Committee for Monitoring and Implementation of Conservation and Additional Austerity Measures.

ISLAMABAD: A day before the scheduled hearing in the £190 million corruption case, counsel for former prime minister Imran Khan and his spouse Bushra Bibi on Wednesday said they were not authorised to argue the main appeals against conviction and sought an adjournment of the May 7 hearing. In an application filed before the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Barrister Salman Safdar, PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Sarmad Muneeb said their engagement was limited to arguing applications for suspension of sentence, adding that no formal power of attorney or instructions had been obtained for the main appeals. The lawyers also informed the court that, despite repeated efforts, the authorities at Adiala jail had not facilitated meetings with the clients for the purpose of obtaining instructions or executing fresh powers of attorney. “The undersigned expresses inability to proceed further in the absence of proper instructions, formal engagement, and requisite Power(s) of Attorney,” the application stated. The ...

The Government of Pakistan has suspended new gas connections across the country due to an ongoing supply crisis, according to official sources.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that it and the newly established Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan operate as “coordinate courts” with distinct constitutional jurisdictions, and neither is subordinate to the other.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi has ruled that the constitutional scheme following the passage of the 27th Amendment treated the Supreme Court (SC) and the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) as coordinate courts exercising clearly demarcated jurisdictions over distinct matters. The ruling was made in a 13-page order authored by the CJP and issued on a set of petitions arising from a Feb 17, 2020 Peshawar High Court consolidated judgement. It was issued by a two-member bench, comprising CJP Afridi and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan. The order stated that the constitutional scheme following the 27th Amendment did not position the SC or the FCC as an appellate forum to each other. The constitutional amendment was passed by Parliament in November last year, leading to the establishment of the FCC as a court that was to hear all matters of a constitutional nature, including those involving disputes between provincial and federal governments, public interest and the enforcement of fundamental r...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has directed authorities to prepare a comprehensive plan for the expansion of Simly Dam to ensure a sustainable and abundant water supply for the capital.

Punjab has taken a major step in the insurance sector, launching what officials describe as an “insurance revolution” with the introduction of a new general insurance company, making it the first province in Pakistan to do so.

The 9th meeting of the Senate of COMSATS University was held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Science and Technology Khalid Hussain Magsi, where key academic, administrative, financial, and policy matters were reviewed in detail.

The United States Department of State has announced the phased closure of its consulate general in Peshawar, transferring diplomatic responsibilities to the US Embassy Islamabad.