KARACHI: Gold prices in Pakistan rose sharply on Tuesday, tracking a largely steady trend in the international market, where softer-than-expected US retail sales strengthened expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut in December. In global trade, spot gold inched down 0.2% to $4,130.85 per ounce by 09:36 am ET (1436 GMT), after earlier touching its highest level since November 14. The yellow metal had rallied nearly 2% on Monday as several Fed policymakers voiced support for a third rate reduction this year. In the domestic market, gold per tola climbed…
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ECNEC okays Karachi civic services project
ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Monday approved the second phase of the Karachi water and sewerage services improvement project at a cost of $665 million, or Rs186 billion, to meet civic service needs in the country’s largest metropolitan city. Headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Ecnec also cleared, in principle, the revised project for acquisition of land for the construction of interchanges at the Karachi-Lahore motorway at a higher cost of Rs68.8 billion. Ecnec, the highest project-approving authority, approved the Karachi water and…
Read MorePakistan’s bureaucracy falters because it cannot produce specialists
KARACHI: Not many would dispute that a variety of the problems Pakistan faces today, and indeed has faced in the past, stem from the underwhelming performance of our bureaucracy. The question that comes to mind is: why does our bureaucracy underperform? To answer this, we need to appreciate that when people say “bureaucracy” they are conflating a system of governance, bureaucracy, with the people who work in it: bureaucrats. To understand what is going wrong, one has to look at these conflated elements separately. Britannica defines bureaucracy as a “specific…
Read MoreFCC to set rule for dealing with SC appeals
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) has decided to lay down a principle on the question whether its smaller bench can hear an appeal against a verdict issued by a larger bench of the Supreme Court and sought arguments from all sides. A five-member larger bench of the newly formed FCC, headed by Justice Aamer Farooq, on Tuesday expressed this resolve while hearing an appeal filed against the Practice and Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance by PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan. During the proceedings, Advocate Sameer Khosa — representing the PTI…
Read MoreLocal govt to strengthen projects’ monitoring
RAWALPINDI: The Punjab Local Government has decided to further strengthen its monitoring system to ensure transparency, timely completion, and quality of development projects. Monitoring will be conducted from the initiation to the completion of every project. Contractors will be required to adhere strictly to deadlines and quality standards. This was announced by Local Government Secretary Mian Shakeel Ahmed during a visit to Murree. He chaired a meeting to review various ongoing development projects and conducted site visits to inspect the progress. During the session, the deputy commissioner of Murree provided…
Read More‘Punjabi’ set for central role in Punjab
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has ordered steps to give Punjabi language a central role in education, culture and everyday public life in the province. Presiding over accountability sessions, the chief minister issued directives spanning the education, environment, forestry, wildlife, fisheries, tourism, archaeology, sports and labour departments. Officials said tourism in the province had been fully digitalised with the development of the Magnificent Punjab app, offering tourists access to travel information and guidance. The chief minister directed them to prepare comprehensive development packages for all major tourist sites.…
Read MorePPP empowered local govts, says Sharjeel
KARACHI: Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has responded sharply to MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi’s statement, asserting that the PPP has empowered local governments more than any other party in the country. Memon said if MQM continues to raise objections, “we are ready to bring Lahore’s local government model to Karachi,” adding that Punjab is being cited as an example despite not holding local elections yet.
Read MoreEU mission sees progress in Sindh’s institutional reforms
KARACHI: European Union Monitoring Mission on Tuesday appreciated Sindh’s progress in strengthening rights-based governance and institutional reforms. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah welcomed the EU Monitoring Mission in Karachi for the 5th Biennial Review of the GSP+ scheme, reaffirming the provincial government’s commitment to human rights, labour reforms, governance standards and climate action. The seven-member delegation, led by Sergio Baliberia of the EU’s Directorate General for Trade, met senior provincial officials, including ministers Saeed Ghani and Zia-ul-Hasan Lanjar, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, IG Police Ghulam Nabi Memon and others.…
Read MoreCentre asked to stop K-P meddling
PESHAWAR: A body of the K-P Assembly on Tuesday expressed concerns over the federal government’s “interferences” in the provincial affairs, asserting that decisions on certain matters were the prerogative of the K-P government. The Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial convened under the chairmanship of Ahmed Kundi. While highlighting the significance of the Gandhara civilisation’s antiquities, the chairman asserted that under the 18th Amendment, all matters related to provincial heritage now fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. He urged the federal government to refrain from unwarranted intervention or overreach in…
Read MoreCM Afridi vows to restore peace
PESHAWAR: A body of the K-P Assembly on Tuesday expressed concerns over the federal government’s “interferences” in the provincial affairs, asserting that decisions on certain matters were the prerogative of the K-P government. The Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial convened under the chairmanship of Ahmed Kundi. While highlighting the significance of the Gandhara civilisation’s antiquities, the chairman asserted that under the 18th Amendment, all matters related to provincial heritage now fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. He urged the federal government to refrain from unwarranted intervention or overreach in…
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