ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has imposed a combined penalty of Rs248 million on Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) for overbilling and illegal loadshedding in violation of consumer service rules and regulatory directives. In two separate orders issued after proceedings spanning more than three years, Nepra fined Gepco Rs200m for overbilling 1,298 consumers through detection bills on account of slow meters, while Sepco was penalized Rs48m for carrying out Aggregate Technical and Commercial (ATC)-based loadshedding, a practice declared illegal by the…
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Businesses, Civil Society, Experts Unite to Demand Action Against Environmental Lawlessness in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s worsening climate vulnerability, magnified by devastating floods, landslides and torrential rains, is the direct result of unchecked real estate expansion, reckless tourism projects, and weak enforcement of environmental laws. This damning indictment came from leading environmentalists, development experts, civil society voices, and business leaders at a roundtable on the country’s flood emergency, organised by the FPCCI’s Central Standing Committee on SDGs at the Federation’s Islamabad office.Speakers reached a consensus that provincial authorities and environmental watchdogs must be held accountable for their persistent failure to enforce environmental safeguards. They…
Read MorePRL CEO Zahid Mir to Retire in December 2025
KARACHI: Pakistan Refinery Ltd (PRL) announced on Thursday that its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Zahid Mir, will step down at the end of December 2025 after more than six years of leadership. Mir, who took charge in August 2019, will continue until the end of next year to ensure a smooth transition, the company said in a filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX). A petroleum engineer with an MBA, Mir brings over 30 years of industry experience, having served in senior roles at Shell, Kufpec, Premier Oil,…
Read MoreSaudi Arabia Accelerates Solar Expansion to Curb Oil Dependence
ISLAMABAD: In a strategic departure from its oil-dominated past, Saudi Arabia is rapidly emerging as a global solar energy powerhouse, carpeting its vast deserts with panels to meet soaring power demand and preserve crude for export. Driven by both environmental and economic imperatives, the Kingdom aims to generate 50 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2030. Flagship projects, including the 1.5GW Sudair Solar Plant led by ACWA Power and backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), highlight the scale of its ambition. Installed solar capacity surged to 4,340MW…
Read MoreGovt Preparing 300-Day Climate Action Plan Amid Flood, Glacial Risks
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Senator Musadik Malik announced on Thursday that his ministry is formulating a 300-day implementation plan to tackle the growing impacts of climate change, particularly monsoon flooding and glacial melt. Speaking at a news conference alongside National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik, the minister said the plan will be developed in collaboration with federal ministries, provincial governments, the armed forces, NGOs, and welfare organisations. “We must act within our resources, supported by civil administration and welfare institutions,…
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