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Karachi’s iconic Regent Plaza hotel gets Rs14.5bn offer from SIUT

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erty owned by Pakistan Hotel Developers Limited (PHDL) into a tertiary-care general hospital, according to documents seen by The News.

Speaking to the publication, SIUT Trustee Syed Shabbar Zaidi confirmed that they had offered to buy the hotel, saying it was a 47,000 square feet built structure, which could be converted into a healthcare facility within a span of one year.

“Karachi badly needs another tertiary-care health facility and constructing a large health facility by acquiring land would take years. In these circumstances, it is the best option to acquire a built structure in the heart of the city and convert it into a health facility,” said Zaidi.

He maintained that it was close to most of the health facilities, including the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) and the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC).

Responding to a query, he said the deal is yet to be accepted by the PHDL but hoped that they would accept the offer in the interests of the people of Pakistan as well as other countries who come to Karachi for treatment of various complicated ailments.

Regarding the availability of funds for the purchase of the property, he vowed to take loans and raise funds from the public to acquire the facility.

In September, the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) was informed that the SIUT Trust intends to conduct due diligence on the five-star hotel in Karachi built on a plot measuring 13,200 square yards.

The PHDL also owns two other pieces of land in Thatta with a total area of about 14 acres.

The hotel comprises 400 rooms with an occupancy rate of 20% for the 2021-22 fiscal year, the latest data available showed. This rate was 9% in the previous year due to COVID-19.

In the first nine months of 2022-23, PHDL reported a net profit of Rs45.5 million, i.e. a 38.3% decrease from the previous year.

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Irfan Siddiqui meets with the PM and informs him about the Senate performance of the parliamentary party.

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The head of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Standing Committee and the PML-N’s parliamentary leader paid Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif a visit in Islamabad.

Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Parliamentary Party’s Senate performance.

Additionally, Senator Irfan Siddiqui gave the Prime Minister an update on the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs’ performance.

He complimented the Prime Minister on his outstanding efforts to bring Pakistan’s economy back on track and meet its economic objectives.

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SIFC Increases Direct Foreign Investment: Investment in the Energy Sector Rises by 120%

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The Special Investment Facilitation Council is intended to help Pakistan’s energy sector attract $585.6 million in direct foreign investment in 2024–2025. The amount invested at the same time previous year was $266.3 million.

This is a notable 120% rise, mostly due to investments in gas exploration, oil, and power. Such expansion indicates heightened investor confidence and emphasizes the development potential in important areas.

The State Bank reports that foreign investment in other vital industries has increased by 48% to $771 million.

This advancement is a blatant testament to SIFC’s efficient investment procedure and quick project execution.

The purpose of the Special Investment Facilitation Council is to establish Pakistan as an investment hub by aggressively promoting regional trade and investment in the energy sector and other critical industries.

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Discos report losses of Rs239 billion.

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When compared to the same period last year, the data indicates that discos have decreased their losses in the first quarter of the current fiscal year.

The distribution businesses recorded losses of Rs239 billion in the first three months of the current fiscal year, a substantial decrease from the Rs308 billion losses sustained during the same period the previous year.

Additionally, the distribution businesses’ rate of recovery has improved. It has increased to 91% in the first quarter of this year from 84% in the same period last year, indicating success in revenue collection.

Regarding circular debt, the Power division observed a notable change. Last year, between July and October, the circular debt grew by Rs301 billion. Nonetheless, this year’s first four months saw a relatively modest increase in circular debt, totaling about Rs11 billion.

These enhancements show promising developments in the electricity sector’s financial health in Pakistan, where initiatives are being made to accelerate recovery rates and slow the expansion of circular debt.

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