Governance

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 …

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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, …

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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …