US opposition to Nippon Steel deal ‘very unsettling’, Japan PM hopeful says
One of the frontrunners to become Japan’s next premier said on Friday that any US move to block Japan’s Nippon Steel from buying US Steel on national security grounds would…
A slippery slope
A FEW weeks ago, the Supreme Court struck down two acts that amended the National Accountability Ordinance. The amendments were primarily introduced to limit the applicability of the NAO to…
The IPP negotiation dilemma: govt required to step back?
Negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), particularly those involving local owners under the 1994 and 2002 power policies, have entered a new phase. Prominent businessmen who own these IPPs have…
IPPs: missing the forest for the trees
The 2024 Independent Power Producers (IPPs) negotiations are entering their second round. The authorities are employing game theory strategies, but this round is being conducted under different terms compared to…
The challenge of IPPs-I
Pakistan’s real economy is failing primarily on account of its energy sector. This author has been raising the alarm for the last two decades. Now even a former caretaker federal…
Fixing the IPPs
VISITING Islamabad with my grandchildren, I decided to introduce them to our very impressive Islamabad Sports Complex. Getting there, we found that the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championship was going…
Untangling energy crisis: the ‘misguided’ criticism of IPPs
The narrative dominating Pakistan’s discourse on electricity prices has painted Independent Power Producers (IPPs) as the villains responsible for the country’s escalating energy costs. Media outlets and public opinion frequently…
UPS plan to sweeten holiday profits could turn off shippers
UPS, the world’s biggest package delivery courier, is the first major industry player to announce this year’s holiday surcharges, unveiling hefty hikes that analysts say could backfire. The 2024 peak…
IPPs: one of the most difficult conundrums
For decades the public at large has been agitating in futility against electricity tariff hikes and power cuts. This summer, bitten by IMF’s withdrawal of multiple concessions to the industry,…
IPPs: why leaders must lead from the front
Be it a newspaper, X (formerly Twitter) or any WhatsApp group, one would find a barrage of criticism on the GoP for the rising capacity charges with a strong push…
