News

The power of the people

What did not appear so pronounced in politics has surfaced in the recent split electorate mandate: people’s urge for self-governance. An analyst says that the public has reclaimed the grounds that rightly belong to them by defying the chronic status quo and the culture of dread. In the economic field, as evidenced by the mobility of labour, an increasing number of people are improving their liv

Gwadar Power Plant at an impasse

The future of the long-stalled Gwadar power plant remains uncertain as it appears to have reached yet another impasse a year after the previous Shehbaz Sharif administration had given the go-ahead to execute the project on imported coal as originally planned. The 300-megawatt power project has failed to make any headway despite it being listed as a “fast track project” under the multi-billion d

WTO meeting seeks modest outcomes, with global trade at ‘critical juncture’

Trade ministers from around the world gathered in Abu Dhabi on Monday for a World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting that aims to set new global commerce rules, but its ambitious chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and delegates sought to curb expectations. The almost 30-year-old global watchdog, whose rules underpin 75 per cent of global commerce, tries to strike deals by consensus, but such efforts are b

Nestle earns Rs16.5bn

Sales of Nestle Pakistan Limited (NPL) increased by 23.4 per cent to Rs200 billion in 2023 from Rs162.5bn in 2022. However, the profit-after-tax (PAT) marginally climbed to Rs16.5bn from Rs15bn. The company said that despite several external challenges, a focus on innovation and renovation and ensuring product availability, supported by investments behind the brands, helped in the revenue boost

Solution sought to rising debts, food insecurity

ISLAMABAD: Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz at the 13th World Trade Organisation Ministerial Conference (MC13) underscored the relentless onslaught of crises that have beleaguered member nations over the past years. Mr Ejaz’s remarks were delivered shortly after the inauguration of the MC13 in Abu Dhabi on Monday. The conference was presided over by Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, the UAE’s Minister