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Mehrgarh civilisation museum to reopen this month in Quetta
A museum dedicated to Pakistan’s ancient Mergarh civilization will reopen later this month following the completion of a US-funded conservation project in the southwestern province of Balochistan, the US embassy said on Saturday.
The Melgarh Museum in Quetta houses archaeological artifacts associated with one of the earliest agricultural communities in South Asia. The restoration project, funded through the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, is the first undertaken by the programme in Balochistan, extending its reach to all four Pakistani provinces.
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker joined Balochistan Parliamentary Secretary Nawabzada Mir Muhammad Zarain Khan Magsi and heritage experts in Karachi on Saturday to mark the completion of the project, which involved preserving Neolithic artifacts, upgrading museum displays and training local conservation professionals. “Today, we are pleased that the Mergarh Museum of Balochistan will showcase the 8,000-year-old Mergarh civilization and many other civilizations, using America’s expertise in museums and heritage preservation,” the US Embassy said in a statement after the event.
Mehrgarh, an archaeological site on the Plains of Kutch in Balochistan, is one of the earliest known agricultural settlements in South Asia, with evidence of agriculture, livestock domestication and permanent settlements dating back thousands of years. The site provides important evidence of the transition from hunter-gatherer to permanent agricultural life, providing insight into the development of early communities in the region long before the rise of the Indus Valley Civilization.
The conservation program is being implemented in collaboration with the Sindh Exploration and Adventure Association and the Balochistan Department of Culture. According to the embassy, it involves securing ancient archaeological collections, upgrading museum collections to international standards, expanding local community outreach and training local heritage professionals to ensure long-term preservation of artefacts.
“The United States and Pakistan are working together to make real progress in protecting this extraordinary heritage,” Baker said. At a ceremony on Saturday, Baker, Magsi and program directors Dr Asma Ibrahim and Dr Kalimullah Rashaari unveiled the commemorative plaque, which will be installed at the entrance to the Quetta museum.
The embassy said the museum was expected to officially reopen later this month, but no specific date was announced.
Latest News
Police constable, five-year-old son shot dead in Tank
A police constable and his five-year-old son were killed after unidentified gunmen opened fire on them in Khadrianwala area of Tank on Sunday, police said.
According to the District Police Department (DPO), Constable Saadat was on his way to the market with his son to buy groceries when unidentified gunmen attacked them.
The constable died on the spot, while his injured son was shifted to Dera Ismail Khan for medical treatment, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The bodies of the father and son were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital. After the incident, the police launched a search operation in the area to find the culprit.
Business
DG ISPR highlights Pakistan’s regional security challenges and peace efforts
The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) highlighted Pakistan’s regional security challenges and efforts to maintain peace during interactive sessions with students.
DG ISPR visited University of Lahore, University of Central Punjab (UCP) and King Edward Medical University (KEMU) where special sessions were arranged with students and faculty members. The meeting discussed domestic and international affairs, the geopolitical situation in the region, particularly Afghanistan, and the role of the Pakistan Army in maintaining regional peace.
Teachers and students publicly expressed their opinions and raised questions on various issues to which the military spokesperson gave detailed answers. Students welcomed the initiative to engage directly with the academic community and stressed the importance of holding such interactive sessions in the future.
They also congratulated the armed forces for their victory at Marka-e-Haq and prayed for the promotion of soldiers who were killed in the line of duty.
Business
NEPRA increases electricity price by Rs2.36 per unit under fuel adjustment
The National Electricity Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has hiked electricity tariffs by Rs 2.36 per unit of electricity under the Monthly Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA), adding to the financial burden on electricity consumers.
According to a statement released by NEPRA, the increase is due to fuel cost adjustments in September 2026. The correction represents the difference between the actual fuel costs for electricity generation and the previously determined reference fuel costs.
According to the decision, electricity consumers will have to pay an additional charge of Rs 2.3673 for each company present in their accounts under the applicable FCA mechanism.
The adjustment will be reflected in electricity bills for November 2026.
Meanwhile, NEPRA has approved a Rs2.32 per unit increase in electricity rates for additional consumption by industrial and agricultural consumers, raising the applicable rate from Rs22.98 to Rs25.30 per unit. The decision has been sent to the federal government for further action and the revised rates are proposed to be effective from the billing month of November 2026.
As part of the existing rescue package, the government provides electricity price subsidies to industrial and agricultural consumers who exceed electricity consumption in the same period last year. The federal government has launched a three-year relief package under which power will be provided to agricultural consumers at Rs 22.98 per unit instead of Rs 38 per unit, while industrial consumers will get the same rate for additional electricity consumption instead of Rs 34 per unit.
However, NEPRA has now approved an increase in the discount rate per unit by Rs 2.32 to Rs 25.30.
The regulatory authority’s decision was taken through the casting vote of its chairman, while two members recorded their disagreement with the proposal.
NEPRA members Amna Ahmed and Maqsood Anwar Khan submitted dissenting notes, describing the proposed rate of Rs25.30 per unit as unjustified.
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