LAHORE: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has recommended to the government to eliminate gas subsidies to ward off formation of circular debt and encourage greater participation of the private sector in LNG trade to develop an efficient LNG market to cope with the growing gas shortages in the country. In a special section on LNG sector inserted in its …

LAHORE: The Punjab Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department has unearthed a scam of posting of nurses on the fake Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) recommendation letters allegedly prepared and entertained by a network of officials within the department and hospitals. The department has initially identified that 18 charge nurses (BPS-16) serving at the Kot Khwaja Saeed Hospital and the …

ISLAMABAD: In a resolution, the Sindh Bar Council (SBC) on Friday called upon Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed to consider taking suo motu notice of a ban on prominent journalist and anchor Hamid Mir from hosting his own talk show on Geo News. Issued under the signature of SBC vice chairman and chairman of its executive committee Arif Dawood, the resolution …

ISLAMABAD: The government on Friday completed Rs89.2 billion transactions as the first instalment of payments to 20 independent power producers (IPPSs) from the Rs403bn committed under a settlement agreement with 46 IPPs signed in February. Payment to other IPPs suffered delay as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had decided to examine the deal. “The government has completed the first payment …

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Friday allowed K-Electric to charge an additional fuel cost adjustment (FCA) of average 26 paisa and 10 paisa per unit in June and July, respectively from its consumers to add about Rs500 million to its revenue. The regulator has worked out the increase in rates on the basis of seven months …

American Foundation Pakistan (APF) — a Washington-based organisation that aims to foster connections between the United States and Pakistan — has appointed Saleem Ahmad, chairman of the National Incubation Centre (NIC) at Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums), to its board of directors, it emerged on Saturday. In a statement, Lums said that with Ahmad’s appointment, the APF “hopes to …

LONDON: England and New Zealand were left kicking their heels in the Lord’s Pavilion after rain prevented any play on Friday’s third day of the first Test. The pitch and square remained fully covered all dayand the umpires, following an inspection carried out while rain was still falling, announced at 4:31 pm (1531 GMT) that there was no prospect of …

KARACHI: Pakistan has received $1.25 billion in Roshan Digital Accounts (RDA) since its beginning in September 2020 while the inflow has been increasing faster than the initial first quarter. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) confirmed on Friday that the total inflows in RDA has reached $1.250bn and said the inflow has increased after achieving the $1bn mark. The inflow …

PARIS: Pakistan’s veteran tennis professional Aisam-ul-Haq made an early exit from the French Open when he and his Austrian partner Oliver Marach lost their second-round men’s doubles match against Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares on Thursday. The seventh seed pairing of Great Britain’s Murray and Soares of Brazil cruised through in straight sets, winning with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-1 …

KUALA LUMPUR: Three Australian clubs have pulled out of the 2021 Asian Champions League amid an interrupted domestic season prolonged by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Asian Football Confederation issued a statement on Friday saying it taken note of Football Federation Australia’s confirmation of the withdrawals of Sydney FC, Melbourne City and Brisbane Roar from the continental club championship after an …