Tue, 21-Oct-2025

Usman Peerzada Talks About Electricity Bills Amidst Inflation & Joblessness

Usman Peerzada

Usman Peerzada is a Pakistani actor, director, producer and screenwriter.. Usman Peerzada expressed despair over the unjust billing practices. Celebrities like Rashid Mehmood, Usman Peerzada, Shugufta Ejaz, Nooran Lal, and Humaira Channa have expressed protest against these bills. In Pakistan, electricity tariffs for both domestic and commercial consumers have seen a significant increase. Many Pakistani … Read more

World Bank approves $150mn loan for Pakistan

World Bank

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank approved $150 million for a project to increase the participation rates of girls and boys in pre-primary and primary grades and enhance reading proficiency in primary grades in Punjab Province.

The project is expected to directly benefit approximately 5 million children, 7,000 headteachers, 165,000 teachers, and more than 3,000 teacher mentors in public schools as well as Punjab Education Foundation schools.

“Punjab has more than 7 million out-of-school children. The grades will help the government of Punjab substantially reduce this number and, in parallel, improve foundational learning outcomes for boys and girls who are already in school,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “This will be done through scaling up and strengthening public-private partnerships, improving school preparedness among young children, enhancing the quality and use of teaching and learning materials and assessments, and improving the learning environment in schools.”

Earlier, World Bank (WB) has approved additional financing to the tune of $ 1 billion for Dasu Hydropower Project, being constructed by WAPDA on River Indus.

This is the single largest financial facility provided by the World Bank for a project in Pakistan.

[embedpost slug=”world-bank-approves-additional-1b-for-dasu-hydropower-project”]

Read more

World Bank approves additional $1b for Dasu Hydropower Project  

World Bank

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank (WB) has approved additional financing to the tune of $ 1 billion for Dasu Hydropower Project, being constructed by WAPDA on River Indus.

This is the single largest financial facility provided by the World Bank for a project in Pakistan.

This facility comprises concessional financing through the World Bank arms of IDA and IBRD.

Approval to this effect was accorded by the World Bank in its meeting. This additional financing by the World Bank reflects the trust the Bank reposes in WAPDA’s financial strength and professional expertise for the successful implementation of mega projects in the Water and Hydropower sectors.

It is important to note that the World Bank is already providing financial support of US$ 588 million and a partial credit guarantee of US$ 460 million for the construction of the Dasu Hydropower Project.

At present, WAPDA is constructing eight mega projects worth US$ 26 billion to add 9.7 million feet (MAF) to the water storage and double its hydel generation capacity from 9,500 to 20,000 megawatt (MW) during the next five years.

WAPDA has devised an innovative financial strategy for the construction of these projects with less reliance on the national exchequer by exploiting its own financial strength. Dasu is one of these under-construction projects.

The 4320 MW-Dasu Hydropower Project is being constructed on the River Indus, upstream of Dasu Town in the Upper Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The Project is planned to be completed in two stages – each stage having a generation capacity of 2160 MW.

At present, WAPDA is constructing Stage-I of the Project. After the successful diversion of the River Indus last year, construction work is continuing simultaneously on key sites of the Project. Stage-I of the Dasu Hydropower Project will start electricity generation in 2026. It will contribute 12 billion units per annum to the National Grid.

[embedpost slug=”nec-approves-13th-5-year-national-development-plan-growth-target-for-fy25″]

Read more

President Alvi directs WAPDA to reinstate special person’s welfare grant

President Alvi directs WAPDA

President Dr. Arif Alvi has ordered the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to restore a special person’s welfare grant. The president accepted the appeal of complainant Syed Noor Ali Zaidi against the decision of the Federal Ombudsman. President Dr. Arif Alvi said that WAPDA should immediately pay the welfare grant to the disabled … Read more

Maria Khan joins Eastern Flames FC in Saudi Women’s Premier League

Maria Khan joins Eastern Flames FC in Saudi Women's Premier League

Maria Khan has been signed by Eastern Flames FC. Maria is the first female player from Pakistan to be signed by a Saudi club. Maria has been a standout player for the Pakistan women’s team. Eastern Flames FC of the Saudi Women’s Premier League has signed Maria Khan, the captain of the Pakistan women’s football … Read more

Second edition of Mari Petroleum Azadi Hockey Cup to start from Aug 15

Second edition of Mari Petroleum Azadi Hockey Cup to start from Aug 15

The second edition of the Mari Petroleum Azadi Hockey Cup will be held from August 15. The matches will be played according to FIH and PHF regulations. Olympian Nasir Ali will serve as the tournament director. The Mari Petroleum Azadi Hockey Cup’s second edition is scheduled to take place from August 15 to August 20 … Read more

PCB’s Directive for Domestic Cricket Season

PCB Domestic Cricket

Upcoming domestic season with 16 teams, including departments and regions. Departments facing challenges due to a four-year gap in cricket. Teams asked to select experienced players from different levels of cricket. With the domestic cricket season approaching, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a letter to departmental cricket teams, instructing them to submit the … Read more

National Squash Team Championship will start from 1st March

National Squash Team Championship

National Squash Team Championship start from March 1. It will include up to 12 teams from different regions. The last edition was held in 2017 and won by WAPDA. The Roshan Khan National Squash Team Championship, which will take place at the PN RKJK Squash Facility here from March 1–5, will include up to 12 … Read more

Hub Dam: Cracks in dam caused dangers for shattering

Hub Dam
  • The passage of water has fastened as the spillways of the Hub dam have overflown after the water level in the dam has risen, which has caused cracks and dangers for shattering of the dam
  • The authorities of the dam are concerned about the breakage as it was not mended by the provincial government for a very long time
  • The walls of the dam have weakened, and the capacity of the dam is up to 339 feet which has been overpassed these days
  • The work of filling the gap in Hub Canal has also been fastened after the spillways were opened, claimed the WAPDA sources

 

HUB: The passage of water has fastened as the spillways of the Hub dam have overflown after the water level in the dam has risen, which has caused cracks and dangers for shattering of the dam, BOL News reported.

According to the details, the authorities of the dam are concerned about the breakage as it was not mended by the provincial government for a very long time. The water is passing on to the Hub river in the form of floods.

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) sources told BOL News that the walls of the dam have weakened, and the capacity of the Hub dam is up to 339 feet which has been overpassed these days. Hub dam is spread across Sindh and Baluchistan, covering a total area of 24,300 acres. Hub dam fulfills the 20 percent water needs for Karachi and 100 for Hub.

[embedpost slug=”pdma-torrential-rains-in-baluchistan-claimed-104-lives”]

Read more

Austrian minister, Wapda chairman discuss mega projects in water and hydropower sectors

Wapda

Austrian Foreign Minister Mag Alexender Schallenberg, Austrian Ambassador to Pakistan Nicolaus Keller and a high-level business delegation on Friday visited WAPDA House to explore ways and means for partnering in the construction of mega projects in water and hydropower sectors. Read more: Wapda chairman highlights importance of Dasu hydropower project This was the maiden visit of … Read more

Nepra approves Rs5.94/kWh rise in electricity tariff

Nepra

KARACHI: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday allowed ex-Wapda distribution companies to charge their consumers an additional fuel cost of Rs5.94/kWh on the consumption during January 2022. Nepra observed that the energy from costlier residual fuel oil (RFO) and high-speed diesel (HSD)-based power plants was generated to the tune of over Rs43.62 … Read more

Umaid Asif’s journey from teaching mathematics to becoming astute cricketer

umais

After teaching mathematics to A Levels students, Umaid Asif used to rush to the cricket academy to train and pursue his dream of becoming a professional cricketer. In 2006, the then 22-year-old had left his ACCA halfway through to focus on improving his game. He was teaching in schools and tuition centres to earn some … Read more

Wapda chairman highlights importance of Dasu hydropower project

Wapda

LAHORE: The Dasu hydropower project is of immense importance for a quantum increase in green and low-cost hydel electricity in the national grid, an official said on Monday. Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) on Monday visited Dasu hydropower project, being constructed on River Indus in Upper Kohistan District … Read more

Flying Cement 12MW captive power plant starts operations

Flying Cement

KARACHI: The 12MW captive power plant of Flying Cement Company Limited has started commercial operations at its site in Khushab district, a bourse filing said on Monday. This is a significant milestone achieved by the company in line with its strategic objectives of cost rationalisation and optimisation resulting in lower dependency on Water and Power Development … Read more

Jiu-Jitsu in Pakistan: Diamond in the Dust

Jui-Jitsu

Jiu-Jitsu is one sport where Pakistani athletes are consistently shining, according to Isra Waseem, who has won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals for the country at the international stage. This statement is true as a daylight as Pakistani athletes won eight Bronze medals in the fifth Asian Championship that took place in Abu Dhabi in … Read more

Moonis Elahi directs WAPDA to ensure foolproof security at Dasu Hydropower Project

Dasu

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Water Resources Moonis Elahi has directed the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to ensure a foolproof security arrangement in collaboration with relevant stakeholders at the site of the Dasu Hydropower Project. Read more: Wapda chief, Chinese envoy discuss Dasu hydropower project Elahi was chairing a meeting of the 4,320-MW project’s … Read more

Watch: First metro terminal approved to turn into solar power

metro terminal

Pakistan’s Capital Development Authority (CDA) has planned to build the country’s first solar-powered metro terminal. If everything goes according to plan, the project will begin in January of next year and be completed in three months. A precise strategy has been established, according to a CDA official, to give residents of the twin cities (Rawalpindi … Read more

Wapda to execute water project in Balochistan

Wapda

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) will execute another water project in Balochistan to address the water needs of the province, a statement said. The decision was taken at a meeting between Wapda chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) and Balochistan chief secretary Mathar Niaz Rana. Wapda will provide a turnkey solution to … Read more

Wapda, SCO sign Rs860 million IT services contract for Diamer-Basha Dam construction

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and the Special Communication Organisation (SCO) signed an agreement worth Rs860 million for an uninterrupted and state-of-the-art communication and information technology services for the dam project, a statement said on Wednesday. The services may also be utilised for other Wapda projects, as well, it added. The contract … Read more

Wapda chief reviews progress on K-IV project

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) visited the Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) to review the progress on the project, a statement said. K-IV general manager projects (South), K-IV project director and representative of consultants were also present on the occasion. Expressing satisfaction over the pace … Read more

66th National Track Championship to get underway

Championship

LAHORE: The three-day 66th National Track Cycling Championship will get underway here tomorrow (Monday) and the country’s top-notch riders will be seen in action. This was stated by Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) President Syed Azhar Ali Shah at a press conference at the cycling velodrome on Sunday. Other PCF officials present on the occasion were … Read more

Nasrullah Mughal: WAPDA to provide 37 billion units of affordable electricity

Nasrullah Mughal

Senior Industrial Executive Member Lahore Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Nasrullah Mughal has said that this production of cheap electricity from hydropower is 3.8 billion units more than the average production of the last 10 years. The average production cost of Rs 2.82 per unit. He said that the power supply from WAPDA hydropower plants … Read more

Harnessing water resources key to development: minister

WAPDA

LAHORE: Harnessing water resources is a key to national development, a provincial government official said. Speaking at a ceremony at the Wapda House, Federal Minister for Water Resources Chaudhry Moonis Elahi said: “The federal government is executing water and hydropower projects to improve water situation and increase the ratio of hydel electricity in the national … Read more

CM Punjab National Women Hockey to promote game among women: SBP DG

CM Punjab National Women Hockey to promote game among women: SBP DG

LAHORE, Sept 13 (APP): Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Director-General Adnan Arshad Aulakh has said preparations for the forthcoming First Chief Minister Punjab 5-A-Side National Women Hockey Championship are in the final stages and the event will play a significant role in popularising the game among women across the country. He said this while presiding over … Read more

Wapda surpasses single-day hydel power generation capacity

WAPDA

LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has surpassed the single-day hydel power generation capacity, as its stations crossed 8,800MW during the peak hours. This is the highest hydel electricity generation during the current fiscal year. Wapda delivered 8,854MW to the national grid during the peak hours on Sunday night. This quantum of hydel … Read more

WAPDA chief, Chinese envoy discuss progress on Dasu incident

Dasu hydropower plant bus explosion killed 13 people

LAHORE: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) on Wednesday called on Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong and discussed progress on the investigations carried out in the Dasu incident, resumption of construction work and the security arrangements for the Chinese nationals working on the project. The ambassador thanked the … Read more

Wapda chief, Chinese envoy discuss Dasu hydropower project

ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) on Friday called on Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong and discuss matters relating to construction of Dasu hydropower project in the context of July 14 incident, a statement said. Both sides expressed their resolve to restart construction activities on the project … Read more

ECC allows power sector institutes to adjust receivables

ECC

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has allowed the power sector institutions to adjust their receivables against their payables, a senior government official said. ECC has today approved the financial setoff mechanism for government owned IPPs. This means that the receivables and payables between government entities have been balanced against each other. … Read more