Murad inaugurates CBT Lab at SPSC
At the inauguration ceremony, which was hosted by Chairman SPSC Mohammad Waseem and attended by Provincial Ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon and Jam Khan Shoro, the Chief Minister unveiled the plaque and participated in a mock test, achieving an impressive score of 18 out of 20. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also took and passed the mock test. The immediate display of the test results underscored the efficiency of the new system.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Chief Minister Murad Shah commended the SPSC for its commitment to a transparent and merit-based recruitment system, stating, 'SPSC's modern system is exemplary. It is crucial to appoint the most capable individuals to improve our public institutions.' He further praised the initiative to digitise the examination process, describing it as a commendable move towards enhancing recruitment procedures and ensuring meritocracy.
Murad Shah also visited the under-construction SPSC Secretariat Complex, where he was briefed on the project's progress by Secretary Works Nawaz Soho. The complex, which has an estimated cost of Rs. 2,517.430 million, has thus far utilised Rs. 2,257.242 million. For the fiscal year 2025-26, an additional Rs. 258.400 million is required, and Shah instructed relevant authorities to release these necessary funds promptly.
The new complex will feature a basement, ground floor, and five additional floors, housing various facilities including offices, an auditorium, a library, a cafeteria, and a prayer area. The digital library will accommodate 300 candidates simultaneously, while the dedicated auditorium on the third floor will facilitate examinations, programs, workshops, and training sessions, reducing reliance on external venues.
Expressing satisfaction with the construction progress, Shah directed that the project be completed without delay, emphasising that such infrastructure improvements are vital for strengthening institutions and maintaining transparency in recruitment processes.
In addition to the inauguration, the Chief Minister received a briefing on SPSC's performance and administrative reforms, noting that over 100 employees have been promoted under the current administration, alongside enhancements in salaries and office decor. He acknowledged the historical challenges faced by SPSC and praised Chairman Mohammad Waseem for his dedication and transparent leadership.
'I want the best officers in every provincial department, and that can only happen through a strong and transparent Commission,' he asserted, directing SPSC to expedite testing for doctors, engineers, and other professionals.
Chief Minister Murad Shah, in conclusion, remarked, 'The establishment of the CBT lab is a major step towards transparency and efficiency,' reinforcing his commitment to improving public service recruitment across the province.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
JI to stage sit-ins against ‘sugar mafia' today
LAHORE: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman has announced that the party will stage protest sit-ins across Islamabad and all divisional headquarters today (Sunday) against the exploitative 'sugar mafia' and hike in electricity, gas, and petrol prices. He also declared the launch of 'Give Rights to Balochistan' long march from Quetta on July 25 which will eventually head toward Islamabad. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Saturday, Rehman criticized the government's anti-people economic policies and the main opposition parties' passivity. 'When it comes to their personal gains, all factions unite and approve 300 percent raises in their own salaries.' He said the government deceived the people with false claims like a Rs. 7.41 per unit reduction in electricity rates which never materialized. The petrol prices, he added, continue to rise every 15 days despite declining global rates. 'The imposition of the slab system and continued hikes in electricity and gas prices are nothing short of fraud against the public. We demand the end of the slab system and the removal of unjust taxes from electricity bills,' he stated. Rehman lashed out at the sugar mafia, noting that 90 percent of the country's 89 sugar mills are controlled by the ruling parties and influential figures. 'Dealerships are handed to unregistered agents who are protected by every government. Sugar prices have surged from Rs. 140 to Rs. 200 per kg, imposing a heavy burden on the people,' he said. He revealed that gas wells were deliberately shut down on instructions from the Petroleum Division, resulting in a $1.5 billion loss to the national economy. He said the past governments entered RLNG agreements against national interests. The JI chief stressed the need for aggressive diplomatic efforts on Kashmir, referencing the July 19, 1947 resolution passed at the residence of Sardar Ibrahim Khan for accession to Pakistan. 'Today, Kashmiris worldwide are observing 'Youm-e-Ilhaq-e-Pakistan'. Pakistan must push forward a bold Kashmir policy. Any international mediation that undermines the wishes of the Kashmiri people is unacceptable,' he emphasized. Hafiz Rehman reiterated that India and the US are behind the unrest in Balochistan. He emphasised empowering local populations and announced that grand jirgas would soon be held in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan to address regional grievances. Regarding the upcoming 'Balochistan Rights March', he warned the government against obstructing it: 'If the government tries to stop this peaceful democratic movement, it will bear responsibility for the consequences.' The JI leader also raised concerns about lawlessness in Sindh's riverine areas, pointing to the unhindered flow of weapons, the abduction of minority traders, and the PPP's failure to maintain law and order. Calling on the youth to join Jamaat-e-Islami, he remarked that the ruling elite and opposition are united only in safeguarding their own interests, showing indifference to the struggles of ordinary citizens. Criticizing the recent decision on reserved seats, he termed it a murder of justice, stating that even the affected parties failed to raise their voices and instead became part of the deal. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Power sector sitting on ticking time bomb
'The off-grid solar revolution' and 'the surplus-grid capacity crisis' constitute a ticking time bomb for Pakistan's power sector. Pakistan is witnessing a silent but powerful transformation in its energy consumption patterns. In an environment plagued by high electricity tariffs, inconsistent power supply, and policy unpredictability, both industrial and agricultural sectors are increasingly turning to solar power solutions - discreetly or overtly. This off-grid shift, while rational for individual consumers, is rapidly morphing into a systemic crisis for Pakistan's already fragile power sector, particularly the national grid – which now finds itself caught in a spiral of under-utilization, rising capacity payments, and financial instability. Driven by prohibitively high electricity prices (now exceeding Rs. 60/unit in many regions), heavy fuel cost adjustments, unreliable power delivery, and the government's inability to offer competitive industrial rates, Pakistan's manufacturers and large-scale farmers have found an obvious solution: solarized operations. Otherwise, the choice to go solar – once seen as a solution – may inadvertently accelerate the collapse of a system still vital to national stability and economic growth. In agriculture, solar-powered tube wells are now replacing conventional grid-connected pumping systems. In cities like Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Karachi, textile and export-oriented industries are installing private solar systems and microgrids at record levels. This is no longer a fringe movement; Pakistan imported over USD 1.3 billion worth of solar equipment in FY2024 alone. But while solar provides independence and predictability for users, it simultaneously erodes demand for grid electricity. This undermines the financial viability of the national power system, which is burdened by massive capacity expansion projects undertaken during CPEC years – based on projections that no longer match market realities. Paradoxically, Pakistan today has excess installed power generation capacity, roughly 43,000 MW, while peak demand hovers between 28,000–30,000 MW in summer and drops drastically in winter. Yet the grid remains in financial agony. Why? The problem lies in Pakistan's power purchase agreements (PPAs), which obligate the government to make capacity payments to independent power producers (IPPs) regardless of whether electricity is consumed or not. These payments – now exceeding Rs 2 trillion annually – are fixed costs passed on to consumers through tariffs. With demand shrinking due to solarization and theft or inefficiency still rampant, fewer units are being sold to recover the ballooning capacity payments. This raises the per-unit cost even further, triggering more defections from the grid. It's a vicious cycle: higher costs drive lower consumption which, in turn, raises costs again. For the private sector, going solar is a logical economic decision. Industries save money, reduce carbon footprints, and hedge against grid unreliability. Farmers avoid diesel costs and reduce irrigation risks. But when entire subsectors defect from the grid, the burden of the system falls disproportionately on domestic and low-income consumers – many of whom cannot afford off-grid alternatives. This is exacerbating inequality in access and increasing the pressure on the government to provide subsidies, which it cannot sustainably finance. The state is now stuck in a policy trap: it must either allow power tariffs to spiral, prompting more defections, or absorb the costs through unsustainable borrowing and fiscal deficits. What's unfolding is a classic 'death spiral' scenario. The grid's fixed costs, especially in the form of dollar-denominated IPP contracts and imported fuel linkages, are now being recovered from a shrinking user base. As industries and agriculture reduce their dependency, it becomes harder to justify and sustain grid-scale infrastructure investments. Ironically, if this continues unchecked, Pakistan's grid could become a relic – a stranded, expensive infrastructure incapable of serving even its core users. The long-term consequences could include: de-industrialization for those unable to afford off-grid alternatives, grid defunding leading to power outages and infrastructure degradation and Increase in circular debt, as revenue shortfalls balloon. Despite the scale of the crisis, policymaking remains reactive and fragmented. The government has neither embraced solar as a formal part of the energy ecosystem nor has it devised a strategy to manage the transition - not to forget that 'to go solar', once seen as an ultimate solution, was advocated and incentivised by the government of the day. Pakistan lacks a net metering and feed-in tariff reform strategy that aligns distributed solar with grid health. Moreover, attempts to restrict solar imports or tax solar panels are short-sighted and only increase informal installations like mushrooming in the agricultural sector and slums of the cities. Much of it is out of the reach of the government. The solar revolution in Pakistan is irreversible – and greater national and public interest demands that it should be welcomed. A managed transition is essential. If not, the collapse of the national grid under the weight of underutilization and rising costs could create a national power disaster that will certainly affect every citizen and sector. Pakistan needs an integrated energy transition roadmap, balancing grid and off-grid development. Policymakers must urgently move beyond tariff adjustments and subsidy mantra. They must restructure how Pakistan produces, distributes, and consumes power in the 21st century. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
PTI leader's bail extended by ATC
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Friday extended the interim bail of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Muhammad Ahmad Chattha till September 19 in four separate cases, including the Jinnah House attack and Shadman Police Station arson. ATC Administrative Judge Manzer Ali Gill presided over the proceedings. Chattha appeared before the court following the expiry of his earlier bail period. The judge summoned the complete case record from the prosecution and directed the defence to present arguments at the next hearing. Chattha has sought bail in several cases, including the attack on Jinnah House, arson at Shadman Police Station, and setting fire to police vehicles in Zaman Park. In a separate hearing, the ATC dismissed the post-arrest bail petition of PTI leader Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed in a case related to vandalism and provocative speeches during the May 9 protests near Sherpao Bridge. ATC Judge Arshad Javed dismissed the plea after the petitioner's counsel requested to withdraw the application. The case was registered at Sarwar Road Police Station and pertains to allegations of delivering inflammatory speeches and participating in acts of vandalism during the protests. Money laundering case The ATC confirmed the interim bail of a female bank officer, Sanam Shaukat, in a case involving money laundering, terror financing, and the opening of illegal bank accounts. Presiding over the hearing, Judge Manzer Ali Gill directed the accused to submit surety bonds worth Rs. 100,000. According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Sanam Shaukat and several other bank officials allegedly facilitated illegal financial transactions for individuals associated with banned outfits, including those listed in the Fourth Schedule of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
