Author: Faiza Liaquat
Karachi’s crumbling road network is set for a substantial upgrade after Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah approved a Rs 25 billion reconstruction and rehabilitation package for the city. Presiding over a meeting at the CM House, Shah expressed concern over the worsening condition of roads and its impact on traffic congestion. He directed authorities to start work immediately, emphasizing that delays in rehabilitation were no longer acceptable given the daily hardship faced by commuters. During the briefing, officials informed the chief minister that 315 internal streets across Karachi require urgent repair and recarpeting. Shah approved the entire package and…
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has introduced a new online complaint redressal system aimed at making civic services in Islamabad faster, more transparent, and easier to access for citizens. Under the new mechanism, residents can lodge complaints by tagging CDA’s official social media accounts, including @cdathecapital and the chairman’s handle @RandhawaAli, allowing teams to respond more quickly on the ground. This initiative is part of CDA’s broader strategy to modernize municipal management and adopt digital tools for public facilitation. For years, residents have reported delays in resolving routine civic issues such as waste collection, streetlight repairs, water supply disruptions, and…
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved the creation of hundreds of new government jobs as part of a major restructuring of its security apparatus. Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi has formally separated the Special Branch from the provincial police, granting it the status of an independent intelligence unit. The decision is aimed at modernizing security operations and enhancing the province’s counterterrorism capacity at a time when KP continues to face evolving security threats. The Special Branch has long been responsible for intelligence gathering, verification, and explosive neutralization, and its role has become increasingly critical in recent years. Officials briefing the…
A seventh-grade student from Karachi has developed a smart walking stick designed to support visually impaired individuals by helping them detect obstacles using sound and vibration alerts. The device was recently showcased at the Bachaapreneur competition at the National Incubation Centre, where it gained attention for its practicality, thoughtful design, and the fact that it was built entirely by a school student. The young inventor, Radhe Krishna, shared that the idea came after he watched a video online and became inspired to solve real-world problems through technology. Having experimented with robotics since Grade 5, he went through several prototypes before…
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a major financial reward for the Pakistan Shaheens after their title-winning run at the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament. According to former Pakistan captain Salman Butt, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has approved a cash prize of 50 lakh rupees for each of the fifteen players in the victorious squad. The announcement has been widely seen as a powerful endorsement of Pakistan’s emerging cricket talent. Throughout the tournament, the Shaheens displayed maturity, discipline, and composure under pressure—qualities often associated with far more experienced sides. Led by Irfan Khan, the team remained undefeated from start…
Pakistan’s rapid shift to rooftop solar is set to reshape its energy system, with daytime demand from the national grid in key urban and industrial centres expected to fall to zero or even turn negative during certain hours next year. At COP30 in Brazil, Climate Secretary Aisha Moriani told Reuters that cities like Lahore, Faisalabad, and Sialkot could see “negative grid-linked demand” as solar from homes and businesses fully meets, or exceeds, local power needs especially on bright summer afternoons, industrial holidays, and mild-weather days. Driven by load-shedding and soaring tariffs, rooftop solar, net metering, and small commercial systems have…
In what organizers are calling the largest beach cleanup in Karachi’s history, more than 700 volunteers took part in a massive coastal cleanup drive under the banner of the “Green Storm” campaign. Participants, including students, professionals, community groups and environmental activists, gathered on the shoreline to remove plastic waste, discarded materials and other debris from the beach. Sharing a message of optimism, campaign lead Hammad Tanveer (@hammadtanveer10) said that “no power in this world can stop the transformation of Pakistan by 2050,” framing the cleanup as part of a broader push for long-term climate action and environmental restoration. Organizers said…
Islamabad is gearing up for a major hospitality milestone as preparations to build the capital’s first 7-star hotel move forward ahead of the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. According to reports, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has invited international firms to participate in the project through a global tender, pushing the plan into its final administrative and technical stages. Officials have confirmed that the ultra-luxury hotel will be constructed in Islamabad’s high-security Red Zone, chosen for its proximity to key government institutions, diplomatic enclaves and national landmarks. The project is expected to be developed either under a public–private partnership…
Punjab has taken a major technological leap in environmental governance by launching a satellite-based monitoring system for all forests across the province. In a statement on Thursday, Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb announced that Punjab is now using high-resolution satellite technologies such as WorldView-3, SPOT 6–7, Pleiades, PRSS-1, Landsat, and Sentinel-2 to keep a constant watch on forest areas, tree cover, and ecosystem changes in real time. According to the minister, live satellite feeds will enable authorities to instantly detect illegal logging, encroachment and suspicious activity. Once an anomaly is flagged, the Environmental Protection Force will be alerted and dispatched…
Pakistan has announced its first-ever National Women Entrepreneurship Policy, a landmark step aimed at boosting female-led businesses and expanding women’s role in the economy. Unveiled on November 20, 2025, the policy sets ambitious targets, including: The framework will build on existing initiatives such as the State Bank’s Banking on Equality guidelines and the SECP’s Women Equality in Finance policy, while introducing new tools to unlock finance and market access. Key measures include reserving 5% of the Export Development Fund for women-led export ventures and ensuring at least 100,000 female entrepreneurs gain access to business-information platforms. At the launch, Haroon Akhtar…