ANTERNATIONAL

THENEWS

Wednesday


June 17, 2026


Karachi Edition


Trump ballroom cost soars to
$600m, half from taxpayers: report:

WASHINGTON, United and repeatedly insisted that struction, the contractorhized project would cost up to $100

States; US President Donald private donors = including to build the ballroom,
Trump’s ballroom project at himself = would foot the bill

The project began fost free.
the White House will cost. as for the new building, a cen- year when Trump, with little

railion, calling it “tax-payer |

However, a summary pre-

much as $600 million, with terpicce of hisdrive to puthis waming and without consult- pared for the White House

more than half coming from stamp on the US capital
taxpayers, The Washington
Post reported on Tuesday, copy of a detailed cost esti the White House.

‘Trumphad previously est mate prepared for the Trump —_InJate March, Trump reit- million coming from “private| B

. * ing Congress, tore down the earlier that month already
The newspaper cited a entire historic East Wing of estimated the total cost at

$600 million, with only $203

mated the cost at $100 million, administration by Clark Con erated to reporters that the sources,” the Post said.

RIT
TAT US ase akc
| seeped Famed
TOTEM meld get

TENDER NOTICE # 10, FINANCIAL YEAR 2026-27.
.PROCUREMENT OF STATIONARY ITEMS

*4,. tslamabad Potice intends to procure Stabonary tems during Financial Year 2026-'

BF,                                                                                         os
an    Sealed Bids ‘are invited from the reputed Fims/Vendors having active NTNSTRN
may apply through EPADS (PPRA).        .

"3.7 Bidding Documents are avaiable  on  ) EPADS  AE-Pak Acquisition  and  Disposal.
System) on free of cost.                                                                       "
4    Alt Proposals must be accompanied by a Bid Securtly as mentioned inthe Bidding :

_ Documents (Re-fundable) in shape of Bank Draft COR in the name of the Assistant
Inspector General of Potice, Logistics, Islamabad. The bidders shall submit scanned
copy of Bid Securty on EPADS and Original Bank Draft’ CDR will be submited to the -

__ General Branch, office of the AlG/Logistics, Sector H-1 1, Islamabad before opening of
theTendes,

5,"    The Bids willbe received only from those fms who are registered wit PPRA for
e-procurement on EPADS,         =

“6.” sslamabad Police can decrease or Increase the quantity of any number of Rems*
according the budgel/requiremerts..                    .              .                                ‘
7. The interested bidders are requested to submit their Bids/ Proposals online through ©

_ EPADS at hilpsv/eprocure.gov.pk, and Original Bids/ Proposals must be submitted in
(General Branch) office of he AiG/Logistics, Sector H-11, Istamabad before opening *
date Le. rd July 2026 (Friday) till 1100 Hour. The Bids wil be opened on the same day

~ al 1130 Hours inthe presence of Bidder's or thes representatives at Central Police Otfice, :
Sector H-11, blamabad. +                                                                       .

-8.! TWisteneraticemay aisobe seen on PRA. islamabadPoice webstes.

Rascishe tld aati ee a
Aes Isfamabad. }
eerie    Ray Pe
OR Na aaa eee nc SPT Pe


PAKISTAN AGRICULTURAL STORAGE AND SERVICES _
CORPORATION LIMITED (PASSCO)} ~
(FINANCE WING)           -

INVITATION OF OFFERS FOR OBTAINING :
COMMODITY OPERATION FINANCING FOR
WHEAT (OUTSTANDING / FRESH) ALONGWITH |
rE eas eS ae
SEPTEMBER, 2026 FOR PASSCO. :

&. Pokatan Agneultural Storage and Services Cosporaton Limded (PASSCO) sntonds fo borrow up to PKR.533
biden for wheal from Bank{s) under Commodity Operabon Finanang of wheat for the quarter Juty « Sep,
2%

4, Ofers aro imited on PPRA'S EPAD System for the Knest martap rales under Commoday Opereson
Financing of wheal icc the quarter July -Sep, 2026.

1 Fotoing terms & consstons shal govern eb subentted by inkeested barks.

Max. Loan Amount: PKR.633.00 billion”

inchydng conventional as wellas Islamic banks, regulated ty Stole Bankol Pakistan
~ ar8 chgble to bed for Bes Enancang tacdty on the badang format provided by PASCO. Comehance with
bidding feamal 9 mandatory, otherwise, bad nay be rejociod.
dpBorowing Type:

© The loan wile in the apture of Commoddy Financing. The borrowing spread tor this facity shall be locked
for 03 months i.¢. July-26 to Sep-26 which may aso be fixed for next Quarter subjoct fo the willingness of
PASSOO and bed winning banks,

©) Bidding Criteria: 5

© Eachbank shall quote Three (03) Month KIBOR fixed Spread (% p.a) ©

* Hiprevious quarter's COF faciby is Rity setied any trie atior previous quarter end, the accepted pricing of
previous quarter oF pricing of current quarter, whuchever is Jower shail be appbcable:

+ PASSCO shall rank the bids from lowest to highest - lowest being the bed quoting lowest spread against
relevant benchmark KIBOR rate and highest being the bed quoting highest spread egainat relevant
benchmark KIBOR rate,

. Any bid offering cond:bonal markup rates or stab markup rates willnot be socepiod,

© Bids foBers shall be vabd for 03 months i € July-26 lo Sep-26, therefore, any condion regarding bme kit
», Miallnorde accepted.

> any bank backs out Fomits given offer, hen PASSCO may blacklist a bank fo ture borrowings,
+. Purpose of Bs Enanicng i to requlaize the custncing foan of PASSO for Comrmocty Operabons fr
She quarter Juy-26 10 $ep-26,

Gj CollateraliSecurity:

* Nother collateral soouty shallbe offered except the hypothecaton of wheatstock & reoetvables and the
Guararane of Federal Government. The amount of Cash Crack Financing is subject to approval of Federa!
‘Govemmentand maybe reduced enhanced revised continued without any chan of tho bedder,

¢) DrawDown:

. PASSCO may withdraw oF repay the foan i any bank in o08 of mote instalments al any time ducing the

poned

borrowing
f} Profiton Debt Mark- suph
* Mast fo a repayment period shat be Compxted atthe end of pened on the basis of owen apphed (ake
‘and the smmount outstanding on each date during the ropayment pond.
. Ask side KIBOR svatsble on SEP's webane on lat coy of te press Quarks shal be used foe mate
‘upiprola caloiation ie. Threemonth KIGOR as of 30.06.2026 shall be used.
g) Other Terms & Conditions:
. Nobidshatbe considered received manual or ae he deadine forbid submission,
© Bd vatdiy shall start Eom the Last date of bid submission deading,”
* PASSCO may redueincresse # revise the amount of tnancing subject the aporovel of relevant
coenpetent authonty without any claim of the bidderinonces,
« No commitment, advsory, surongeron, lopl o any ober Sees o€ charges in connec wid ts
* GansactonshadbebemebyMePASSCO.
. No bank commission shallbe paidin leu of Ssbursement services to be rendered by the bans as paying

agents,”

d)Non-Obstante Clause:     -

° Notuatistanding anything othe contrary PASSCO reserves the right i ngect! accept eloffers under rue
» S3{1] of PPRA. Furthermore, acceptance / reocton of any other expicd of implaca Condon by the Danks
"shal be the sole dscredon of the PASSCO which may reject any or all condeaons of he bank aooarding to
the provisonol PPRARUKS. :

+ Bidding documents containing the prescribed bidding format are avadabie on PPRA'S EPAD System from

the date of pubicaton and have atso been uplosSed on Company's wetade. (www.passco.gov pk) & PPRA|
wedsie (www.ppra.org. pi). In case your bank is interested to lend fo the PASSCO, itis requested fo subma

You Bed in Ge presented Beksng xr only. Any bed submeied other than fhe format spectied by the

PASSCO may be deciared non responsive.

. In teem of Regulaton 4 ofthe Declaration of Benefioal Onners’informabon of Pubic Procuremend Contract
Awsided Reguiatons, all pocunng agencies while engaging ist public procurement contracts worth Rs. 50)
Mahon and above shall make a mandatory provision af beneficial ownership infomation of the company in he
‘ard contract as presented n the gran Proforma in accordance wih annemures bo the Reguiston.,

« Sn accordance with the E-Pak Procurement         , 2023, a pie-bid meeting shall be held at 11:00 AM
On 29th June, 2026 at the PASSCO Head Office, 11 Kashmir Road, Lahore Bids shal be submetied
Ghrough the £-Pak Acquisition & Despos.at Sysiem (EPADS) on or before 41:00 AM on Thursday, 2nd July
2026. The bids shall be opened on the same day at 11:30 AM in the presence of the bidders or thew duly
axshonzod tepresentatres who wish 10 atiend. Scaled envelopes contionng the presenbed bid Proforma
may also be submitted atthe bme of xd subeessson. -

Cra da les      Piogy3s00r2s
Yarn OFFICE vrais ts Ero pier, Sinamay


And when Trump made
those comments in March, the
administration had already
approved more than a dozen

2. Fal! payments of public funds to

Clark Construction totaling
tens of millions of doltars, the

Post sald, citing a log of the| B'

contractor's invoices which it | Bs
“und    ‘

When ‘Trump first footed

the idea of the ballroom he| BS
said It would only cost $200) F

milion.              me
Democratic opponents of |
the president have pointed
to the gilded ballroom and
other costly renovation pro}-
ects around the US capital a3
evidence that the billionaire
leader is out of touch with
everyday Americans—AFP.

Israeli military
takes more
territory, kills’
two Palestinians

in Gaza

CATRO/GAZA: An Israeli strike
Killed at least two Palestin-
ans in the central Gaza Suip,
health officials said, as resi-
dents of an area in the north
of the enclave fled their homes
after Isracli forces expanded
their control in the territory.
Medics sald an Isracti
strike near a residential buikd-


ing In the Nuseirat refugee}

camp, in the central Gaza
Strip, killed two brothers,
Ahmed and Mahmoud Abu
Heen, The Isracti military did
not immediately comment.

An October 2025 truce bro-
kered by US President Don-
ald Trump has so far failed to
halt Israeli attacks in Gaza or
to secure the disarmament of
Hamas militants,

‘The