Cognitive dissonance undermines adaptation: engineers cling to control while heat, drought, and riverine collapse demand urgent change. Riaz Missen Heat is steadily settling over the Indus plains. Unlike the sudden violence of floods or storms, this transformation arrives quietly yet persistently: dry winters harden the soil, heatwaves stretch across weeks, …

Record $1.68 billion repatriated as investors cash out amid stagnant growth   RNN Reoport ISLAMABAD — Foreign investors are cashing out big time from Pakistan, pulling away a staggering $1.68 billion in profits and dividends during the first seven months of FY26 (July–January), according to the latest State Bank of …

FBR shortfalls and provincial delays on key reforms threaten $1.2 billion IMF tranche. ISLAMABAD — An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission, led by Iva Petrova, is set to arrive in Pakistan on February 25 or 26, 2026, for the third review of the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and …

RNN Report ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan prepares for another intense monsoon season, experts warn that climate anxiety is emerging as a silent crisis, compounding the country’s already strained mental health system. The National Disaster Management Authority has projected 22–26% above-normal rainfall for the 2026 monsoon, a forecast that has forced many …

Ms. Karen Reidy, Chief of Advocacy and Communication at UNICEF Pakistan, along with Ms. Amina Sarwar, Communication Officer at UNICEF Pakistan, met with the POWER99 team for a constructive discussion on strengthening collaboration in advocacy and strategic communication. The meeting highlighted the importance of media partnerships in amplifying key messages …

While the world celebrates World Radio Day on 13 February, Dr Bakhtiar Khan, Secretary Information Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, convened a strategic meeting in Peshawar with the Chief Executive of The Communicators (Pvt.) Limited Najib Ahmad and his team of media experts to review and deliberate on the ongoing research study …

By Najib Ahmad Radio is being sold a dream that sounds too good to refuse. Artificial intelligence, we are told, can write scripts, generate voices, schedule shows, analyze listeners, and even “understand” what audiences want—faster, cheaper, and without fatigue. Efficiency has become the new religion of broadcasting. But beneath this …

Pakistan's first cannabis policy regulates medicinal cultivation to curb misuse, targeting $7B exports and jobs via strict safeguards.

Islamabad High Court imposes immediate ban on CDA tree-cutting until February 2, seeking detailed report amid environmental violation allegations.

Federal ordinance dismantles MCI, invalidates delimitations, delays Feb 15 ICT polls, cuts women's seats to 8%, empowers unelected admins.

Repeated election delays and weakened local governance have enabled political, commercial, and bureaucratic elites to set Islamabad priorities, sidelining residents’ needs.

Federal cabinet's 14 amendments dismantle MCI, introduce Town Corporations modeled after Punjab's system, aiming for improved service delivery.

True flood resilience lies in adapting agriculture and settlements to rivers, not endlessly trying to control them.

Inconsistent policies, smuggling, and hoarding have fueled the export crash, demanding urgent government reforms to stabilize supply chains and boost productivity investments.

Pakistan's telecom operators decry USD spectrum pricing as governance blind spot, fueling volatility and crippling long-term 5G investment viability.

Dodging forex woes, IFC fuels Engro's empire with local currency, boosting precision farming and supply chain resilience.

Reforms will eliminate 600,000 papers yearly through digital shifts curbing bribery, unlocking billions in savings to boost investment and jobs if enforced.

Tax overhaul mandates slash exemptions, curb FBR graft, target 5-6.5% GDP growth by 2030

Nomination window opens Dec 19 with polling from 8am-4pm, aiming for transparent results

Pakistan Railways slashes luxury saloon fares and switches to open auction bidding for 11 passenger trains, aiming to boost profitability, attract private operators, and modernize services.

Tax exemptions and cartels cost 4.6% GDP yearly, benefiting only the connected.

Premier Shabaz fast-tracks repairs amid warnings that conventional barriers could worsen failures.

Sugar, cement, and fertiliser barons bankroll politicians for tax loopholes and impunity, jacking up essentials while regressive taxes hammer the poor.

Multiple American companies—USSM and Energy Fuels among them—are stepping up, opening new commercial channels through lithium exports, rare earth refinement, and large-scale extraction projects.

Chinese investors, local chambers pile on pressure as red tape and high costs stall growth.

Violent Gaza March triggers renewed ban; cabinet brands Rizvi’s outfit a terrorist organisation under ATA

Strict enforcement of Loudspeaker Act, online monitoring, and daily district reports underline rule-of-law revival.

Parliamentary committee calls for accountability, structural reforms, and fair market play to protect farmers and consumers.

PLGA 2025 strips away party-based elections, props up unelected bureaucrats, and chokes local finances—flipping Article 140A’s vision of autonomy into a tight leash from Lahore, ensuring the ruling elite cling to control while villages languish without voice or funds.

Islamabad agrees to publish governance report, maintain 1.6% budget surplus as IMF signals renewed confidence in reform path

Despite massive flood losses and reform progress, the Fund prioritizes fiscal discipline over resilience financing.

The UN and partners warn that sustained international assistance is crucial to help communities transition from emergency relief to recovery as Pakistan braces for a chilling winter

Illegal encroachments devoured 803 forest acres and 122 kanals of green space in Islamabad—police/hotels repurposed belts for offices/parking. Urban greens fell 36%, water bodies 10% (2000-2020).

The new phase shifts focus from heavy borrowing to resilient infrastructure, Gwadar revival, and greater access to Chinese markets.

Tax authority admits Rs3.6tr uncollected; biggest leak in textile, petroleum, food sectors

Energy review drops Tarbela plan, endangering cost savings and ties with international donors.

Pakistan’s mega mine project gets pricier, jumps 79% as loans and contingencies pile on

Pakistan’s climate plan clings to colonial hydraulics, masking adaptation rhetoric while Indus floods devastate communities

Engineering lapses, idle aircraft, and weak oversight drain national carrier’s finances

Rivers defy colonial control, overtopping embankments, submerging villages and farmlands in unprecedented water surge

Climate finance dreams clash with dam-centric plans as Pakistan reels from historic floods

Northern Pakistan is facing devastating floods across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and the Himalayan valleys. This multimedia show brings you first-hand stories from local journalists, experts, and community workers who are on the ground. 🌊 Key Highlights: •Impact of floods on lives, homes, and livelihoods •How the Himalayan mountains are shifting …

Audit reveals systemic mismanagement, delayed civil works, and ineffective internal controls while only 13% of expenditure reaches socio-economic development, highlighting urgent need for legislative accountability.

Torrential rains kill eight, disrupt daily life, cut power and expose a drainage system weakened by decades of neglect.

Hundreds dead, thousands stranded as officials scramble to respond  amid washed roads and erratic weather.

Over 308 lives lost in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; authorities warn of dangerous Sutlej overflow with reservoirs nearing full capacity ISLAMABAD – The latest spell of monsoon rains has brought widespread destruction to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where at least 308 people have been killed and 23 others injured in just 48 hours, according to the …

A two-kilometre crossing chokes a twenty-four-kilometre river, wiping out crops and displacing whole communities in Layyah.

CDA moves to wall off the capital’s green lungs without completing the groundwork, sparking fears of wasted funds.

Weak drainage systems fail to carry floodwaters away, leaving crops rotting in stagnant water.

Over 2,500 acres recovered from citizens; no retrieval from 3,999 acres occupied by government and defense departments in five years.

Tarbela scheme part of wider plan to revive housing sectors, but IHC dissolution order clouds CDA’s mandate.

Record debt, shrinking revenues, and industry rate‑cut demands spur central bank to reinforce resilience in financial sector.

RDA plans drain widening, CDA targets illegal structures over stormwater channels Rawalpindi – The Rawalpindi administration sprang into action on Monday as unprecedented monsoon rains swelled Nullah Leh to dangerous levels, inundating low-lying neighborhoods and triggering emergency measures. At Gawalmandi and Kattarian bridges, water surged to 22 feet, flooding areas like …

By pivoting towards climate finance, Islamabad hopes to tap into the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework (CPF), which has set aside nearly $20 billion for inclusive growth projects.

With no global interest, Pakistan reassigns non-performing power plants internally

By pivoting towards climate finance, Islamabad hopes to tap into the World Bank’s Country Partnership Framework (CPF), which has set aside nearly $20 billion for inclusive growth projects.

From tech to energy, global brands are folding up amid rising costs, currency woes, and regulatory chaos ISLAMABAD — The quiet closure of Microsoft’s Islamabad office after a 25-year run has sent ripples across Pakistan’s struggling economy, symbolizing a broader trend of multinationals folding up operations and walking out of …

Amid a leadership crisis and lack of clarity on timeline and spending, the $4.07 million World Bank-funded reform struggles to take off Islamabad — A dense fog of secrecy surrounds the World Bank’s $4.07 million Institutional Assessment & Reforms Consultancy (IARC), a project launched in December 2024 to revamp Pakistan’s …

With $11bn due to lenders and $12bn parked as foreign deposits, Islamabad races against time to manage repayments and avoid default. RNN Report Islamabad  — Pakistan is bracing for another financially turbulent year, with over $23 billion in external debt repayments due in the fiscal year 2025-26. The daunting figure …

Commission given August 20 deadline to probe tunnel collapse, $74 million in kickbacks, and Rs167 billion burden on power consumers amid investor pullout Islamabad, July 11, 2025 — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has rolled out a high-level judicial commission, led by retired Justice Tariq Abbasi, to dig into the delays, …

River diversion, land erosion, and deadly sand mounds expose the human cost of a billion-rupee industry Mining Boom Tears through Ecology and Livelihoods Farmers lose land, fish vanish, and tourists perish as Swat’s riverbed is carved away SAIDU SHARIF, July 10 – Once the beating heart of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s scenic …

Digital rupee to integrate with PRISM+ amid new crypto oversight law ISLAMABAD, July 10 — Pakistan is moving ahead with a central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot program as part of efforts to modernize its financial system and keep pace with the global shift toward digital finance. According to well-placed …

Fiscal tightening helps balance the books, but deeper economic flaws are left unresolved ISLAMABAD, July 8– In a bid to rein in public spending and bring the economy back on track, Pakistan’s Finance Division has rolled out a new round of austerity measures for the fiscal year 2025-26. The policy, …

Canal colonies in floodplains brace for disaster as NDMA flags extends rain spell; 64 dead from earlier downpours ISLAMABAD, July 4 – The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a nationwide alert forecasting heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and flash floods across Pakistan from July 6 to 10, 2025, warning of …

New Potohar Water Board proposed as CDA struggles with sector expansion, falling investor confidence, and a staggering supply shortfall ISLAMABAD, July 4: After more than a decade in bureaucratic freeze, the Tarbela Water Scheme—originally proposed in 2008—is being revived by the federal government in an urgent bid to address the …

Cement, textiles, shipping, and power sectors face shutdown risks as furnace oil prices surge over 80% under new fiscal regime ISLAMABAD, July 3 — A sweeping hike in furnace oil prices—driven by newly imposed petroleum and climate support levies effective July 1—has triggered alarm across Pakistan’s industrial and energy sectors. …

From breeding animals to imported cheese and used cars, tax relief lands in elite hands as the public watches from the sidelines RNN Report ISLAMABAD, July 3 — The federal government has slashed import duties on over 7,000 items in the new fiscal year, with the declared aim of supporting …

Energy Ministry sets sights on 60% renewable power and 30% electric vehicles by 2030 under ambitious energy overhaul ISLAMABAD July 2 – Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy has outlined a bold strategy to overhaul the country’s energy landscape, aiming to reduce inefficiencies, attract foreign investment, and transition towards cleaner, smarter energy …

With over Rs80 in taxes per litre, government leans on fuel pricing to patch up fiscal shortfalls Islamabad, July 1 — The federal government has put up fuel prices once again, raising petrol by Rs8.36 to Rs266.79 per litre and high-speed diesel (HSD) by Rs10.39 to Rs272.98. The revised prices, …

As Pakistan enters new fiscal year, over 50 powerful institutions walk away with exemptions — while fuel, electricity, and daily life get costlier for the rest ISLAMABAD, July 1 — As the Finance Bill 2025-26 makes its way to presidential assent, a closer look reveals an unsettling pattern: the bill …

Early monsoon rains trigger deadly floods, exposing Pakistan’s unpreparedness amid escalating climate change impacts ISLAMABAD, June 28 – As monsoon rains arrive earlier than usual, triggering deadly floods and urban chaos, Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change has once again been laid bare. The unfolding season, forecasted to be longer and …

Shift to electric mobility aims to clean Punjab’s air, cut oil import bill, and drive auto sector reform ISLAMABAD, June 27 — Pakistan plans to have 2.2 million electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads by 2030 in a bid to combat hazardous urban smog, reduce its annual petroleum import bill …

Dismisses India’s ‘Abeyance’ Claim; Affirms Treaty’s Legal Continuity and Court’s Jurisdiction ISLAMABAD, June 28: In a significant development for regional water diplomacy, the Court of Arbitration constituted under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960 has ruled that India’s claim of holding the Treaty “in abeyance” holds no legal weight …

Court strikes blow to unaccountable rule, calls for refund of illegally collected taxes ISLAMABAD, June 28 — In a significant ruling set to reshape municipal governance in the federal capital, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the federal government to dissolve the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and transfer its …

Rs 8.21 trillion for debt, Rs 145 billion for education and health—inequality locked in

By prioritising law enforcement over livelihoods, and control over care, the government’s fiscal message is clear: this budget is about governing unrest, not fixing its roots LAHORE, June 26 — In a move that has sparked sharp reactions from economists and rights observers alike, the Punjab government has earmarked a …

If we restore balance—between people, water, land, and sky—we can once again welcome the rains not with dread, but with open arms and open hearts Riaz Missen June 26, 2025 For centuries, the monsoon was the heartbeat of the Indian subcontinent—a season of joy, fertility, and regeneration. Its arrival transformed …

AI-based systems will be rolled out to track enrolment, teacher quality, and climate outcomes, cutting through bureaucratic lags ISLAMABAD, June 26: The World Bank has rolled out two transformative projects worth $194 million in Balochistan, aiming to tackle learning poverty and shore up water security as part of a broader …

The initiative aligns with SBP reforms to unlock SME financing through regulatory overhaul and expanded credit access KARACHI, June 25— In a challenging economic environment marked by soaring energy prices, persistent inflation, and high interest rates, the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has stepped up to ease financing hurdles for …

Islamabad’s anti-construction crackdown sparks sectoral backlash, exposing deep regulatory rifts and urban governance challenges ISLAMABAD, June 25 — The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has intensified its crackdown on unauthorized construction, warning that no building activity—whether residential or commercial—can proceed without formal approval from the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The …

Chief Minister’s budget speech acknowledged input from across the aisle, with opposition parties appreciating the tone of consensus KARACHI, June 25 — Framed against the backdrop of economic uncertainty, climate volatility, and growing social needs, the Sindh government’s Rs3.45 trillion budget for FY 2025–26 reads less like a balance sheet …