Blog - Page 16 of 251

Electricity prices increased by Rs. 2.58 per unit for consumers

September 4, 2026 by Business Desk

Electricity prices for consumers across Pakistan have been increased by a combined Rs. 2.58 per unit under monthly and quarterly adjustments, according to a notification issued by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

Under the monthly adjustment, electricity rates have been increased by Rs. 2.06 per unit. The increase will be reflected in electricity bills issued in September.

The July fuel price adjustment will transfer an additional burden of about Rs. 33 billion to consumers, according to NEPRA.

The regulator also approved a 52-paisa-per-unit increase under the quarterly adjustment. NEPRA has forwarded its decision on the April-June 2026 quarterly adjustment to the federal government.

The quarterly adjustment will apply from September through November 2026 and will also be charged to consumers of K-Electric.

According to NEPRA, the quarterly adjustment will place an additional burden of approximately Rs. 12.67 billion on electricity consumers.

Sindh confirms another Mpox case, total cases rise to 41

September 4, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

KARACHI: Sindh has reported another confirmed mpox case, bringing the total number of cases reported in the province this year to 41.

According to , a 19-year-old man from interior Sindh was diagnosed with mpox after being brought to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital in Karachi on Thursday.

The patient reported a rash on his body, prompting doctors to send samples for testing. A PCR test confirmed the mpox infection, and the patient has been admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward.

Of the 41 confirmed cases reported this year, 28 have been recorded in Sindh outside Karachi, while 13 have been reported in Karachi.

OpenAI introduces GPT-6 Astra, its most capable AI model yet

September 4, 2026 by Technology Desk

OpenAI has introduced GPT-6 Astra, describing it as its most capable artificial intelligence model to date, with major advances in reasoning, software development, computer use, research and cybersecurity.

The company said GPT-6 Astra represents a significant step forward in AI capabilities and is designed to handle complex, multistep tasks that traditionally require human involvement.

It can work across areas including coding, scientific research, professional workflows and autonomous computer use.

OpenAI said Astra can identify previously unknown security vulnerabilities and develop exploits in certain circumstances.

The model achieved a 100% score on the ExploitBench benchmark, although the company cautioned that the result may be affected by possible exposure to vulnerabilities included in the benchmark.

The company has introduced additional safeguards alongside the model’s release because of its increased cybersecurity capabilities. OpenAI said it strengthened protections against harmful cyber activity and added measures including stricter isolation, enhanced monitoring and additional alignment evaluations.

GPT-6 Astra can also interact with computers, browse the web, work with documents and create spreadsheets and presentations. OpenAI said the model can follow templates and instructions while adapting when requirements change.

OpenAI said Astra is more difficult to misuse or jailbreak than its predecessor, GPT-5.6 Sol, and described it as its most aligned model.

In one internal evaluation, Astra did not go beyond an authorized task when faced with difficult or impossible instructions, compared with a substantially higher rate for GPT-5.6 Sol without production safeguards.

GPT-6 Astra began rolling out Sept. 3 to a limited group of organizations. OpenAI said broader access for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users, as well as through its API and cloud platforms, will follow in the coming days.

Ex-Pakistani coach Jason Gillespie criticizes Aqib Javed

September 4, 2026 by Sports Desk

KARACHI: Former Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has strongly criticized national team selector Aqib Javed, accusing him of lacking a clear selection strategy and urging him to take responsibility for the team’s current situation.

Gillespie said the Pakistan team was playing with fear and that there appeared to be no clear selection policy in place. He also advised Javed to “look in the mirror” and assess his own role in the team’s struggles.

The former coach said Javed frequently changed his decisions and had been serving as chief selector for about two years. Gillespie said Javed had blamed him and former white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten for the team’s current situation despite both having left their respective roles some time ago.

Gillespie said Javed should accept responsibility for the problems facing the team. He also alleged that communication between Javed and the players was poor.

According to Gillespie, some players who were removed from the squad learned about their exclusion through family members, friends and the media rather than being informed directly by the team management.

The former coach described the failure to communicate such decisions directly to players as highly disrespectful, saying players deserved to be informed about their removal by the relevant officials.

Aima Baig’s Instagram status sparks speculation about separation

September 4, 2026 by Entertainment Desk

LAHORE: Pakistani singer Aima Baig has sparked speculation on social media after sharing an Instagram story in which she described her relationship status as “single.”

Baig recently posted a photo of herself on Instagram wearing a black outfit. She added “single” to the status on the story, prompting social media users to speculate about the status of her relationship.

The post quickly drew attention online, with some users linking it to ongoing rumors about a possible separation between Baig and fashion designer Zain Ahmed.

Rumors about differences between the couple have circulated on social media in recent months. However, neither Baig nor Ahmed has publicly confirmed that they have separated or divorced.

Baig married Canada-based fashion designer Zain Ahmed in August 2025. Reports of differences between the couple emerged only a few months after their marriage.

The singer’s latest Instagram story has once again fueled discussion about their relationship, although the “single” status alone does not provide confirmation of a separation.

Pakistan must mobilize private sector capital for economic growth, FM says

September 4, 2026 by Business Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan must mobilize private-sector capital to support economic growth and achieve sustainable economic stability, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said Friday.

Speaking at an event in Islamabad, Aurangzeb said the government would not allow Pakistan to return to a cycle of economic boom and crisis. He said mobilizing private investment was essential for long-term economic development.

The finance minister said investment could be encouraged through public-private partnerships and privatization, adding that the government was pursuing a structural reform agenda to ensure sustainable economic stability.

He said transparency, efficiency and investor confidence would remain priorities in the privatization process. Pakistan also needs to increase private investment in infrastructure and public-service projects through public-private partnerships, he said.

Aurangzeb said stronger cooperation between the government and private sector was necessary to drive economic growth. He added that economic stability had been achieved through difficult decisions and that the government’s goal was to make those gains sustainable.

The finance minister said Pakistan’s overall fiscal deficit had declined from 12.5% to 2.6%, while Federal Board of Revenue tax collections had increased significantly.

FBR revenue has risen by 40% over the past several years, while the tax-to-GDP ratio increased from 8.8% to 10.3%, he said.

Pakistan’s IT services exports reached $4.6 billion during the last fiscal year, with freelancers contributing $1.6 billion, according to Aurangzeb. Merchandise exports remained at around $30 billion, he said, adding that further efforts were needed to expand exports.

He said reforms were continuing in the energy, state-owned enterprises, taxation and privatization sectors as part of the government’s broader economic reform program.

Security forces kill 48 terrorists in Balochistan IBOs: ISPR

September 4, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

RAWALPINDI: security forces have killed 48 militants affiliated with what the military described as Indian proxies, including Fitna al-Hindustan and Fitna al-Khawarij, during operations in different parts of Balochistan over the past 48 to 72 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations said Friday.

According to the military’s media wing, security forces conducted multiple intelligence-based operations in Mastung, Quetta, Kalat and Sibi, killing 36 militants in the operations.

On Sept. 4, security forces detected and engaged militant movement in Mastung, triggering an intense exchange of fire that killed six militants allegedly sponsored by India. A cache of ammunition and improvised explosive devices was also destroyed at the site, ISPR said.

In another operation in the Shaban area of Quetta, troops identified four militant hideouts. Following an exchange of fire, 26 militants were killed, according to ISPR.

Security forces also raided a militant hideout in Kalat and killed two militants. In Bhag, Sibi district, security forces, working with local residents, thwarted an attempted attack on a police station. Two militants were killed during the exchange of fire, ISPR said.

The military said sanitisation operations were underway to eliminate any remaining militants in the affected areas.

ISPR said security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue their counterterrorism campaign under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” initiative to combat foreign-sponsored terrorism in the country.

Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban returned to power.

A report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remained Pakistan’s main violence hotspots during the second quarter of 2026. The two provinces accounted for nearly 96% of violence-related fatalities recorded nationwide during the period.

According to the report, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 475 deaths, or more than 61% of the total, while Balochistan accounted for 265 deaths, or 34%.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, representing 57% of the national total. Balochistan followed with 94 incidents, or 35%.

More than 120 Killed in fierce fighting between Houthis and Yemeni forces

September 4, 2026 by World Desk

YEMAN: More than 120 people have been killed in fierce clashes between Yemen’s Houthi movement, Ansar Allah, and Yemeni government forces near the country’s western coast, according to Arab media reports.

The clashes took place in coastal areas along the Red Sea and in Taiz. The reports said 24 government forces were killed in the Red Sea coastal area, while 15 others died in Taiz. Yemeni military attacks also killed 42 Houthi fighters, bringing the reported death toll to more than 120.

Heavy fighting erupted Thursday after the Houthis launched attacks around Red Sea coastal areas and Taiz. Ansar Allah also carried out drone and missile attacks against Yemeni government forces, according to the reports.

Yemeni government military sources said the Houthis had been attacking key areas for several weeks. The group is reportedly seeking to cut off the strategic port city of Mokha from other government-controlled areas and advance toward territory near the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Jamaat-e-Islami calls nationwide strike over petroleum levy and inflation

September 3, 2026 by Pakistan Desk

KARACHI: Markets and shops remained closed in several cities across Pakistan on Thursday after Jamaat-e-Islami called for a nationwide strike to protest the petroleum levy and rising inflation.

In Karachi, many shops in Federal B Area, Water Pump, Liaquatabad and Teen Hatti were closed. Tensions were reported on Lahore’s Mall Road, where Jamaat-e-Islami workers and members of the business community exchanged heated words and were involved in a scuffle.

Commercial centers in Rawalpindi city and cantonment areas, however, remained open. Business activity continued in Raja Bazaar, Murree Road, Commercial Market and Tench Bhatta.

A shutter-down strike was reported in Badin, Shikarpur, Tando Muhammad Khan, Makli, Gharo and Mirpur Sakro. Markets in Batkhela, Dargai, Sakhakot and Thana Baizai in Malakand were also closed, while shops in Charsadda’s Tehsil Bazaar observed a partial shutdown.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said the party would announce its next course of action after the strike. He added that a government committee was scheduled to meet Jamaat-e-Islami leaders at Mansoorah on Thursday.

Pakistan raises $3b through Eurobonds with strong investor demand

September 3, 2026 by Business Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has raised a total of $3 billion through two Eurobond issuances, securing $1.75 billion from a 5½-year bond and another $1.25 billion from a 10-year bond, according to the Finance Ministry.

The 5½-year Eurobond carries a coupon rate of 7.50%, while the 10-year bond has a coupon rate of 7.90%, the ministry said.

The Finance Ministry said strong participation from international investors reflected renewed confidence in Pakistan and marked an important step in restoring the country’s access to global capital markets.

Pakistan issued the bonds for the first time under its new Global Medium-Term Note Programme, according to the ministry.

The government said its debt strategy is focused on sustainable sovereign debt management rather than simply increasing borrowing. It has also emphasized long-term financing to reduce refinancing and rollover risks.

The ministry described the Eurobond issuance as a significant development in Pakistan’s return to international financial markets, saying strong investor participation demonstrated improved market confidence in the country.