There was a time when being middle class in Pakistan meant living modestly but with dignity. A family could hope to buy fruit regularly, send its children to a decent school, pay electricity bills and fill the car with petrol without calculating every rupee. That promise is rapidly disappearing. Today, a family can have a respectable income on paper and still struggle to afford what should be considered a normal life. Fruit has become a luxury. Good private schooling is increasingly out of reach. Electricity bills consume an alarming share of household income, while petrol prices repeatedly squeeze transport and…
Author: Faisal Waqas
ISLAMABAD (LAHORE MIRROR) — The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has increased electricity prices by Rs0.52 per unit under the quarterly adjustment mechanism, placing an additional burden of Rs12.67 billion on consumers. According to a notification issued by Nepra, the increase was approved under the second quarterly adjustment of the current fiscal year. The additional charge will be reflected in electricity bills for September, October and November 2026. The increase will apply to consumers across the country, including those served by K-Electric. The latest hike is the second increase announced by Nepra within a week. On Sept 4, the…
LAHORE (LAHORE MIRROR) — Police have registered a case against three unidentified men after a viral CCTV video showed a group allegedly assaulting workers at a petrol pump on Airport Road and threatening them with a rifle. The case was registered at South Cantt police station on the complaint of the petrol pump administration following the incident, which occurred at around 5:10am on Sept 6, according to the FIR. The incident began when one of the suspects allegedly got out of a vehicle and attempted to urinate at the petrol pump. After workers stopped him, an argument reportedly broke out…
WhatsApp is working on a new feature that would allow people without a WhatsApp account to join voice and video calls through a web link, according to a report by WhatsApp-focused website WABetaInfo. The feature, which is currently under development, would allow guests to join a call through a secure link without installing the WhatsApp application or creating an account. It is not yet available for testing. According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp users will be able to create a call link from the Calls tab, select the type of call and share the link with another person. Recipients who do not…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has opened a new export avenue for donkey meat and hides to China, creating potential opportunities for livestock breeders, farmers and exporters. The development follows the government’s approval of protocols governing exports of donkey meat and hides to China, with shipments being processed through approved facilities in the Gwadar Free Zone. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved the export of donkey meat and hides from Gwadar Port to China in April, following a proposal from the Food Security Division. Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research has said the emerging industry could encourage investment in donkey breeding,…
BERLIN: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has ruled out cooperation with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after the party secured a major electoral victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, saying the result had shaken his conservative party “to its very foundations”. The AfD won nearly 44 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s state election, emerging as the largest party and dealing a major blow to Merz’s ruling coalition. Despite its strong performance, the AfD fell short of an outright majority, winning 39 of the state legislature’s 83 seats. The party is now seeking support from individual lawmakers from…
KATHMANDU: Two hydropower workers have been rescued alive after spending nine days trapped inside a tunnel beneath the devastation caused by Nepal’s worst flooding in decades, in a survival story that has raised hopes for others still missing. Kabir Maharjan and mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah were pulled from a tunnel linked to the Upper Trishuli 3A hydropower project on September 4, nine days after a glacier collapse triggered a massive landslide and wall of water in the Trishuli valley. Maharjan was found in a confused and weakened state after surviving in an air-filled chamber. After being taken to hospital, he…
TORONTO/MONTREAL — US President Donald Trump has threatened to stop Canadian private jet maker Bombardier from selling its aircraft in the United States unless the company begins manufacturing them on American soil. In a post on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said Bombardier would no longer be allowed to sell its aircraft in the US, claiming the company’s products were not good enough. “If they want our Market, they must build here,” Trump said, accusing Canada of treating the United States like a “piggybank”. The latest threat comes as trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa intensify, with Canada preparing to…
MIAMI (Web Desk) — At least five people were killed and several others injured after an Amazon-contracted cargo plane overran the runway while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, according to US authorities. The incident involved Prime Air Flight 7598, operated by cargo carrier 21 Air. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the aircraft overran the runway after landing at around 2pm on September 6 and struck several vehicles before catching fire. Miami-Dade County officials said five people were killed in the crash, while three others suffered critical injuries. Two additional people were hospitalised with less serious injuries.…
ISLAMABAD (LAHORE MIRROR) — Pakistani bodybuilder and WAPDA athlete Hamza Raja has won the overall title at the Mr Universe 2026 Championship held in Switzerland, marking a major achievement for the country in international bodybuilding. Raja first secured the gold medal in the Men’s Physique category before claiming the competition’s overall championship title. Athletes from 26 countries participated in the event. According to the WAPDA Sports Board, Raja’s performance also earned him an International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) Pro Card, allowing him to compete at the professional level. WAPDA said Raja became the first Pakistani athlete to win both…
