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ISLAMABAD: The government and oil industry have entered into a deadlock over the installation of auto tank gauging (ATG) system at petrol pumps to monitor the sale and purchase of petroleum products. The government wants to set a target of installing 5% ATG at retail outlets and expand the tagging to 100% in a year. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) wants to install ATG following the model of the track and trace system installed in industries. The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) had written a letter to the Oil…

KARACHI: Rising temperatures driven by climate change are pushing thousands of Karachi’s textile and garment workers into dangerous heat exposure, where employees describe fainting, dehydration, headaches and physical collapse inside factories that lack basic cooling, ventilation or medical support. A new investigative report by Climate Rights International (CRI) – “They Don’t See What Heat Does to Our Bodies”: Climate Change, Labour Rights, and the Cost of Fashion in Karachi, Pakistan – warns that many workplaces grow hotter than the temperature outside, especially during peak summer months, when machinery, fabric and…

ISLAMABAD: The Universal Service Fund (USF) is poised to achieve a major milestone under the prime minister’s Digital Pakistan vision with the approval of nine new telecom projects valuing at Rs13.05 billion. These projects are set to provide high-speed internet and voice services to 5.55 million un-served and underserved residents across 178 towns/union councils and 753 mauzas of 11 districts across the country, significantly empowering the rural population to participate in the digital economy and connect with the digital world, said a press release. Six projects will deliver high-speed broadband…

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja has stressed that under the INSPIRE initiative, 7,200 young Pakistanis will be trained in advanced semiconductor technologies, supported by the establishment of nine IC (integrated circuit) design labs across university clusters nationwide, to strengthen Pakistan’s hardware and chip-design ecosystem. A high-level delegation comprising Louisa Odell, Innovation and Technology Adviser at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); Michael Unwin, Strategic Partnership Lead, Technology & Innovation Unit, FCDO; and Kimberly Brown, Global Head of Mobile for Humanitarian, GSMA, called on…

KARACHI: Gold prices in Pakistan fell slightly on Wednesday, mirroring losses in the international market, even as silver recorded fresh gains. According to the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), the price of gold per tola closed at Rs443,162, down by Rs1,000 from Tuesday’s level of Rs444,162, when it dipped by Rs2,700. Similarly, 10-gram gold was sold at Rs379,939, down Rs858. In contrast, silver continued its upward momentum, rising Rs81 to reach Rs6,085 per tola. In the international market, silver edged 0.2% lower to $58.28 an ounce after touching…

KARACHI: In yet another volatile session, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday experienced a broad-based decline as investors remained cautious, which pulled the benchmark KSE-100 index down by nearly 1,500 points. In the morning, the market opened on a positive note, which briefly lifted the index, but early gains evaporated when investors trimmed their positions in the absence of positive triggers. The index moved in a narrow band throughout the session, fluctuating between the intra-day high of 168,161 and the low of 166,115. At close, the KSE-100 settled at…