Pakistan consistently ranks among the top three most polluted countries globally, primarily due to high levels of particulate matter from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and the widespread practice of crop residue burning. Air pollution continues to escalate unchecked, further deteriorating public health. The issue is particularly pronounced in winter, when smog forms from a combination
The federal government on Sunday night notified a cut of Rs10 per litre in petrol prices, as well as a Rs13.06 per litre reduction in the price of high speed diesel (HSD). According to a notification from the Finance Division, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, “The Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has worked out the consumer prices of petroleum products, based on the price variat
The government has extended the application of Pakistan Essential Services Act to all generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity for another six months to Jan 25, 2025 to avoid interruption in power supply because of possible union activities amid ongoing restructuring exercise in the state-owned entities (SOEs). “The federal government is of the opinion that employment unde
Public mistrust of the government stems from the gap between official economic claims and citizens’ real-life experiences. Few believe that inflation is actually one-third of what it was before or that the unemployment rate is low. Official data indicates a sharp decline in inflation to 9.6 per cent from 38pc in May 2023. However, people grappling with eroding real incomes and rising family nee
The recent cut in the interest rate by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is well-calculated and well-timed. The 200 basis points cut in the central bank’s key policy rate — from 19.5 per cent to 17.5pc — is neither too small to make any impact nor too large to let inflationary pressure build up again. But will it help revive industrial production? And will the recent trend of slowing the inflati