President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, on Wednesday categorically denied rumours of any postponement or cancellation of the nationwide strike scheduled for July 19, affirming that the shutdown will proceed as planned. The KCCI has installed hoardings and billboards across major arteries of Karachi announcing the complete strike, with slogans de
Business leaders have warned that the hike in petroleum product prices will severely harm the industrial sector, increase production costs, and further erode the competitiveness of Pakistani goods in global markets. They also cautioned that the burden will ultimately fall on consumers, who will face higher transport fares and inflationary pressures. The government has increased petrol prices
The Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday declared that the National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) had violated the Constitution by failing to deposit its surplus profits into the Federal Consolidated Fund and by incurring unauthorised expenditures worth billions of rupees. Members of the committee also criticised the corporation for providing poor services and operating parallel adminis
A parliamentary committee on Wednesday questioned why the government was focusing on sugar prices despite having deregulated wheat prices, as the finance ministry confirmed ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund for an import rebate. A meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, presided over by Syed Naveed Qamar, expressed concern over tax ex
Hub Power (Hubco), the country’s largest independent power producer, said on Wednesday it was seeking an extension to $51 million in bank guarantees to protect its coal-fired power plants, a crucial source of stable power amid Pakistan’s rising use of solar. The guarantees, previously short-term, would now stay in place until 2034 to cover future loan repayments and potential penalties, the com