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LAHORE: Chairman Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Businessmen Panel (BMP) Mian Anjum Nisar has come down hard on the government’s proposed “incremental power consumption” package, saying the plan is inadequate, poorly designed, and unlikely to revive Pakistan’s struggling industrial sector. He said that the policy reflects a lack of understanding of ground realities and fails to address the structural issues that have made the country’s power tariffs among the highest in the region. His remarks came after the Power Division presented its proposal before the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), seeking an urgent approval of a…

ATHENS/KYIV: Ukraine has secured imports of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Greece to cover its winter needs from December through to March next year, Greek and Ukrainian officials said on Sunday during a visit to Athens by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Ukraine will import gas via a pipeline that runs across the Balkan peninsula to secure critical supplies after Russian attacks on energy infrastructure and gas production facilities. Greek gas company DEPA and Ukraine’s state firm Naftogaz said in a joint statement that the deal was effective starting December. Zelenskiy, speaking alongside Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said deliveries would…

MULTAN: The Agriculture Department has advised farmers to ensure wheat cultivation is completed by November 20 to achieve better production outcomes. A spokesperson for the Agriculture Department of Punjab emphasized that wheat is Pakistan’s most crucial food crop, with the province targeting a production goal of 10.65 million acres this year. He highlighted that Punjab’s climate and soil are ideally suited for wheat farming, offering significant potential to increase per-acre yields. To reduce farmers’ production costs, the government has lowered the price of certified wheat seed from Rs 6,500 to Rs 5,500 per bag. Additionally, the federal and provincial governments…

KARACHI: A rising trend is being observed in quality cotton prices, with the spot rate recording an increase of two hundred rupees per maund. In this regard, Gohar Ejaz, the patron-in-chief of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), has revealed an extremely alarming situation, stating that due to the rapid decline in yarn and fabric exports from the country, one hundred and fifty textile mills across the nation have closed down over the past two years. On the other hand, MNS University in Multan has prepared a cotton crop strategy for 2026 to 2027 while planning for the future.…

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) has introduced the OTP (One-Time Password) verification mechanism to enhance the security and authenticity of generating stamp duty challans on buying and selling of immovable properties in Punjab. The PLRA has clarified the issue on the queries raised by real estate expert Muhammad Ahsan Malik. The practical problems being faced by the stakeholders has been explained by the senior real estate expert. PLRA has responded that the issues raised by the stakeholder have been resolved. The stakeholders have raised the question whether this PLRA mechanism has been made part of Punjab e-stamp Rules, 2016…

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Labour, Human Resources, and Social Protection, Saeed Ghani, on Sunday, warned of shrinking of the labour movement over the next ten years if trade unionists continue to follow outdated methods of labour politics. He urged workers’ representatives to adapt to changing times and evolving circumstances to safeguard their future. He was speaking as the chief guest at the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected office-bearers of the All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) at the Karachi Press Club. He stressed the need to bring significant reforms within trade unions. The process of universalising social security had…

Chicago-based Adams Street Partners launched its Hong Kong office on Monday, joining a wave of Western investment firms setting up to take advantage of the city’s position as a gateway to international capital and cross-border deal making.“There’s an increasing number of private equity firms, growth equity [and] venture capital, that have a reason to be here in Hong Kong – kind of a Hong Kong nexus,” said Jeffrey Diehl, the firm’s managing partner and head of investments, in an interview.With more companies establishing a presence in Hong Kong, either by setting up operations or preparing to list on the city’s…

Chicago-based Adams Street Partners launched its Hong Kong office on Monday, joining a wave of Western investment firms setting up to take advantage of the city’s position as a gateway to international capital and cross-border deal making.“There’s an increasing number of private equity firms, growth equity [and] venture capital, that have a reason to be here in Hong Kong – kind of a Hong Kong nexus,” said Jeffrey Diehl, the firm’s managing partner and head of investments, in an interview.With more companies establishing a presence in Hong Kong, either by setting up operations or preparing to list on the city’s…

Malaysia’s southern state of Johor is being transformed by a torrent of tech investment.Global heavyweights – Microsoft, Nvidia, ByteDance – are pouring billions into vast data centres, the digital foundries that underpin the international AI industry and cloud economy.For Malaysia’s government, these investments are nothing short of transformative, representing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to vault ahead in Southeast Asia’s technology race.But for Johor residents like Muhammad Azrien Mohammad Ali, the future arrives with a simple, daily anxiety: will water still flow from the tap?“This year I have experienced three water disruptions,” the 35-year-old told This Week in Asia. “The water supply…

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — With Hungary’s parliamentary elections still five months away, the country is already immersed in an intense political campaign between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his challenger, Péter Magyar, that promises to be the biggest challenge of the nationalist leader’s career. Elected for a first term in 1998 and then for four more terms beginning in 2010, Orbán has stood at Hungary’s helm for 20 years. Beloved by his supporters but accused by his critics of corruption and authoritarian tactics, he has overseen a political system in which his far-right Fidesz party has exercised nearly unchecked power.…