News

Progress on acquiring land for dams reviewed

ISLAMABAD: An implementation committee on Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dams, constituted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, met on Thursday to review progress on land acquisition and resettlement of locals from project sites. The committee met at the request of the sub-committee on land acquisition and resettlement relating to Diamer Bhasha Dam. Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairma

Income tax filers drop 35%

ISLAMABAD: The interim government has failed to broaden the tax base, with the number of income tax return filers shrinking 35% to just under 3.9 million compared to last year, amid challenges to achieve monthly tax collection targets. The caretaker government, whose rule has now effectively ended with the oath of the new National Assembly, also remained unable to tax retailers, neither was

Sindh govt, World Bank to invest $100m in renewables

KARACHI: The Sindh government is collaborating with the World Bank to set up renewable energy projects in solar and wind equipment, aiming to protect the environment from greenhouse gases and Pakistan from recurrent natural disasters. Speaking at a seminar titled ‘Significance of Renewable for Karachi & Export Industry: Cost of Inaction’, Director of Alternative Energy for the Sindh Government,

Akhtar urges early IMF deal

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is facing the challenge of unsustainable public debt and the new government should reach an early agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a long-term bailout package to continue difficult reforms, said outgoing Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar on Thursday. In a departing note in the monthly economic outlook, Akhtar said that market confidence had been res

US urges Pakistan to ‘continue working with IMF’

The United States has urged Pakistan to “continue working with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial institutions towards macroeconomic reforms” for economic stability in the country. The development comes after the PTI wrote a letter to the Fund urging the lender to endorse an audit of the 2024 elections for the sake of political stability in the country, befo