Other

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved $475 million in financing for Pakistan's 306 km M-6 Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway, a crucial north-south corridor project. The $1.7 billion, six-lane motorway is part of CPEC's Eastern Alignment. While construction is planned for April 2026, the project faces delays and cost increases. The government is seeking further funding from institutions like the Saudi Fund for Development and the Asian Development Bank to cover the remaining costs.

Textile major Gul Ahmed (GATM) has announced the permanent closure of its export apparel segment due to persistent operational losses. The company, in a notice to the PSX, cited soaring energy tariffs, strong regional competition, and adverse government policy changes as the key reasons behind the strategic move, which aims to reduce losses and improve cash flow.

Islamabad's new $76.3 million IT Park is now 71% complete and scheduled to open by late December 2025. Funded by a South Korean loan, the state-of-the-art hub is a key part of the 'Digital Pakistan' vision, promising to generate 10,000 jobs and significantly boost IT exports by hosting up to 120 start-ups and SMEs.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has completed six large-scale development projects over the past year, valued at an estimated Rs. 23 billion. The completed projects include the Jinnah Square Interchange at Serena and Jinnah Convention Chowks, the Jinnah Square Murree Road Interchange, and the Tayyip Erdogan Interchange. Additionally, the CDA widened and rehabilitated Park Road, renovated the Convention Centre, and constructed new parking plazas in commercial areas. Work is also underway on the T-Chowk Flyover.

Rawalpindi is getting three new underpasses on Peshawar Road, a Rs6 billion project approved by the Punjab government. The underpasses—located at Race Course Park, Army Graveyard, and Chairing Cross—will create a signal-free corridor from Katcheri Chowk to Motorway Chowk, aiming to reduce travel time to 20 minutes. Construction is set to begin next month.

Evacuated overnight, Din Muhammad now perches on his charpai beside the M2, watching Ravi’s floodwaters swallow his village—and even the gilded streetlamps of the half-built “New Metro City Lahore.” His wife mourns their best buffalo, once the family’s top milk producer, now likely lost in the rising tide.

A new wave of research and real-world success stories from Pakistan reveals that video games are not just a pastime but a powerful training ground for the modern workforce. Gamers, who routinely collaborate across time zones and make high-stakes decisions under pressure, are developing skills like real-time problem-solving, strategic adaptability, and effective remote communication. For Pakistan's youth, gaming champions like Arslan Ash and Star Anonymous prove that a career in e-sports offers a viable pathway to global income, showcasing a new model for skill-based work that bypasses traditional job markets.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has launched "Pakistan One," a nationwide business plan competition designed to transform youth creativity into globally competitive ventures. The initiative, part of the new URAAN five-year plan, aims to engage over 10,000 young entrepreneurs and will award a record-breaking $5 million Grand Prize to promising ventures. The program seeks to shift Pakistan from a job-seeking to a job-creating economy by focusing on high-growth sectors like IT, agri-tech, and sustainable manufacturing to boost the country's stagnant export figures.