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The problem with household electricity consumption

Exorbitant electricity bills are not the main problem, though it is hard to agree when over half the salary is spent paying it. The issue lies in the breakup of consumption — households, for over two decades, have been the main consumers of electricity instead of productive sectors such as industry. In India, for example, residential consumption of energy is 24pc, industrial is 42pc and agricul

Foreign banks seeking 10pc commission to endorse letters of credit

Foreign banks are now demanding a 10 per cent commission to endorse letters of credit (LC) for importable consignments, banking insiders revealed on Saturday. They said the move came as the country grapples with economic challenges, diminishing the confidence of global financial institutions in its banking system. The rupee’s depreciation, coupled with foreign exchange reserves and debt serv

Strike partially affects industrial production

As the industries had not given any green signal to join the countrywide strike call given by the Jamaat-i-Islami, the overall industrial activities showed a mixed trend due to the low turnout of workers. Industries had already remained shut on Friday on account of Shah Abdul Latif Urs while traders had kept their shops closed on the same day to protest against the inflated power bills and soar

Strategic export revival programme to be unveiled this month

The overall export earnings showed a modest month-on-month recovery in August as the commerce ministry is set to announce a plan for reopening the operations of more than 1,600 textile industries that were shut down in the past 16 months, a high-ranking government official told Dawn. A strategic framework is being finalised to provide regional competitive energy pricing, working capital support

Electricity issues cast dim light on engineering sector

ISLAMABAD: Despite surplus power generation capacity, most of the country’s engineering firms have held electricity scarcity and its poor supply responsible for their inability to meet production goals and achieve operational efficiency, thus losing competitiveness, whereas 95 per cent firms reported no access to finance. This has been disclosed by the state-run Pakistan Institute of Developmen