Islamabad Capital Territory

Islamabad | ReNews District Correspondent

A government-run girls’ school in Islamabad’s Kurri area is facing safety concerns after excavation work nearby left the building exposed on three sides, according to the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).
In a letter sent to the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) on October 26, the FDE said the removal of soil around Islamabad Model School for Girls (IMSG) had weakened the building’s foundation and left it close to a steep, vertical drop. The directorate warned that hundreds of students, teachers and support staff could be at risk.

The FDE said an on-site inspection found that excavation linked to the Margalla Orchard Scheme had removed soil from three sides of the school. The housing project is being developed by FGEHA in partnership with the Defence Housing Authority (DHA). Describing the excavation as unscientific and unchecked, the directorate said the loss of surrounding ground support had placed the building in a critical condition. It urged FGEHA to stop excavation near the school and carry out structural rehabilitation, including building retaining walls and installing other reinforcements.

FGEHA spokesperson Faiz Ahmed Sial denied the authority’s involvement. He said an inspection carried out after the complaint found that the school was outside the boundaries of the Margalla Orchard Scheme. Another FGEHA official suggested that the school might instead be within the adjacent Margalla Enclave project, developed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in partnership with DHA. The official said the site did not fall within FGEHA’s scheme. The FDE’s letter identifies excavation associated with Margalla Orchard as the source of the concern, while FGEHA disputes that the work falls within its project.The available statements do not establish which project boundary covers the school or which authority is responsible for the excavation.

Islamabad | ReNews National Desk

Financing approved under the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Program has increased 245% since June, reaching Rs 511 billion by October 23, according to Khurram Schehzad, adviser to the finance minister.
In a post on X, Khurram Shehzad said approved financing had risen from Rs 148 billion in June 2026. Disbursements grew by 333% over the same period, increasing from Rs 21 billion to Rs 91 billion.
Banks have received 217,001 applications under the affordable housing scheme so far. Of these, 86,896 have been approved, while 15,584 housing loans have been disbursed. The approval rate has reached 40%, up from 28% in June, a rise of 12 percentage points.

The latest figures were discussed at the sixth meeting of the Access to Finance Steering Committee, chaired by Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb. The committee reviewed progress in housing finance and considered measures to accelerate disbursements and address constraints in housing supply.
Those measures include expanding financing for builders and projects under construction. The committee’s discussion reflects a focus on increasing the supply of homes alongside support for borrowers.

Although disbursements have grown faster in percentage terms than approvals, Rs 91 billion, about 18% of the Rs 511 billion in approved financing, had been disbursed by October 23. The figures therefore show a substantial gap between financing approval and funds reaching borrowers.The government has set a target of financing 150,000 homes under the program by June 2027. Khurram Shehzad said the increase in financing would bring more families closer to owning homes.

Islamabad | ReNews Corporate Desk The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has set out how steel manufacturers using captive power or self-generated electricity must calculate, pay and adjust additional sales tax on electricity consumed in production. Sales Tax General Order No. 31 of 2026, issued under the Sales Tax Act, 1990, and S.R.O. 1245(1)/2026, applies to manufacturers covered by sub-clause (iv) of clause (a) of the notification. The additional sales tax is to be calculated at the prescribed rate according to the electricity units used for steel manufacturing during each tax period. The procedure requires registered manufacturers to keep records of electricity generated and consumed for production and report the relevant units in their sales tax returns. For each tax period, they must pay the tax through a special PSID challan made available for steelmakers operating on captive power or self-generation. Payment is due by the fifth day of the following month and must be made without issuing or generating an invoice. The tax paid must be reported in STR-7 Row 23c, “Additional Sales Tax on Electricity Supplied to Steel Melters and Re-Rollers.” An equivalent amount may be claimed as input tax in Row 1a for adjustment against output sales tax, subject to the law. The FBR has tied that adjustment to proof of payment: no amount may be entered in Row 23c or claimed through Row 1a unless the special PSID payment has been deposited and verified through the corresponding computerized payment receipt (CPR). The Commissioner Inland Revenue concerned will verify the electricity units declared against the manufacturer’s records and applicable legal requirements, including the conditions of the Thirteenth Schedule. Manufacturers must also declare production and supplies in their returns. Chief Commissioners and Commissioners Inland Revenue are responsible for implementing and monitoring the procedure. Defaults, short payments or incorrect declarations of electricity consumption may be addressed under the relevant provisions of the sales tax law. Although the order was issued on October 29, 2026, the FBR said it takes effect from July 1, 2026.