KARACHI: The federal minister for petroleum and energy, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, has assured us that the Gas supply to CNG stations across Sindh province will be restored by Saturday and we are hoping that the government will keep its promise, Chairman Petroleum and CNG Association, Shabir Sulemanji, told Arab News on Friday.
“We have been assured that the CNG supply will be restored by tomorrow,” said Sulemanji after meeting with minister, however, the Spokesperson the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), Muhammad Ali Gohar, told Arab News; “Restoration is likely but we have no official confirmation yet.”
“Efforts are afoot to restore the supply of gas to fuel stations and industrial units,” Gohar said.
Both federal minister for petroleum and energy Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub flew into Karachi on Friday to meet chief minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, and leaders of CNG association.
Rasheed Channa, spokesman of CM House, said Chief Minister Sindh informed federal ministers of the losses due to closure of industrial units.
“CM Sindh also told them that transport has come to a standstill whereas it has become difficult for the people to commute,” he quoted CM as saying, adding the provincial chief executive also demanded representation of the Sindh at the boards of directors of the gas companies. The federal government has dissolved the boards, blaming members of the boards for the ongoing energy crisis.
According to Channa, petroleum minister has assured Chief minister of briefing PM Imran Khan about the situation. As the representatives of the federal government were meeting with Chief Minister, his party’s Karachi chapter staged a protest demonstration in front of the Karachi Press Club.
Sulemanji says the closure of Gas for six days has caused a loss of billions to the CNG owners across the Sindh. However, the industries and owners of the gas stations are not the only affectees of gas crisis.
“I could not take out my Rickshaw for the last five days due to closure of the fuel stations,” Muhammad Amjal, an auto rickshaw driver in his forties, told Arab News while he was waiting for passenger at Mazar-e-Quid, Karachi.
“I earn Rs1,000 by spending CNG of RS300 during a day. However, Today, as I took out my Rikshaw after four days break, I put in petrol of Rs400 and earned RS400, meaning I drove the Rikshaw half of the day for nothing,” Amjal said.
Zain Ali, who works at private office, says his car, which has CNG-only-facility, is standing at home for last one week and he is using two-wheeler for commuting to office. “The closure of Public transport has affected the life of many and my colleague using public transport are unable to attend office,” Ali told Arab News.
Spokesperson of the SSGC says the supply was halted due to maintenances issues at Gambat Gas Field.
However, experts say the problem is owing to lack of coordination and mismanagement.
“Its difficult to quantify the loss at this moment but the closure of CNG has certainly resulted in huge losses besides exposing the lack of coordination and management issues in government departments,” Samiullah Tariq, a Karachi based energy expert, told Arab News.
The situation at production field was indeed out of control of the distribution companies, including the SSGC but one can’t give them complete waiver of responsibility as the failure of compressors in high demand season and not forecasting the high demand is all exposing authorities at power supply companies and relevant government ministries, Tariq said.
Tariq also questioned the government’s decision to dissolve the boards, saying although it was prerogative of the current regime to remove the board appointed by previous regime but the timing may not be right and may add to the problem.
“Besides, the CNG fuelling stations and commuters, the six-day long closure has also caused loss to industry,” Tariq opined.
Govt assures the resumption of gas supply to CNG stations’ in Karachi
Govt assures the resumption of gas supply to CNG stations’ in Karachi
- Experts say lack of coordination, planning and mismanagement in high demanding season is main reason of crisis
- The ruling party of Sindh, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), held a protest demo against the lack of gas supply
European aviation safety agency lifts Pakistan airline ban — minister
- The development will revive PIA’s European flights, strengthen the government’s privatization drive
- Pakistan’s Airblue has also got Third Country Operator authorization to fly to European destinations
KARACHI: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted a ban on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights after a span of four years, Defense and Aviation Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif announced Friday, commending all the relevant officials who made the breakthrough possible.
The ban on PIA flights was imposed in 2020 after a crash in Karachi killed 97 people, followed by a former Pakistani aviation minister’s statement claiming that nearly 40 percent of local pilots held “dubious” licenses.
This statement raised global concerns about safety oversight, leading to the grounding of PIA’s European operations.
The suspension added to PIA’s financial troubles, as the debt-ridden national carrier continued to incur losses amid its struggle to recover from a tarnished reputation. The government also faced difficulties privatizing the airline, a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during recent loan negotiations, due to its precarious financial situation.
“It is a momentous day to announce that the European Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has lifted the suspension on PIA flights to Europe,” the aviation minister wrote in a social media post.
He also announced that the decision granted Third Country Operator (TCO) authorization to another Pakistani airline, Airblue, marking a significant development for the aviation sector.
TCO authorization granted by EASA allows non-European airlines to operate commercial flights into, within or out of European Union airspace.
Airblue, Pakistan’s second-largest airline, operates domestic and regional routes and is expected to explore European operations following the TCO authorization.
Responding to the development, PIA lauded the lifting of the ban as a testament to its adherence to international safety standards.
“This milestone ensures that the entire nation can once again travel directly to European destinations with their national airline,” the airline said in a statement, adding it had worked tirelessly over the past four years to meet EASA’s safety requirements.
“The PIA administration will remain fully compliant with EASA and its rules and regulations,” it added.
Asif credited the lifting of the suspension to reforms in Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA), which he said were aimed at aligning the regulator with international standards.
“I am grateful to the European Commission and EASA for conducting a transparent process and our commitment to ensuring aviation safety in Pakistan,” he said in the social media message.
The development is expected to help revive PIA’s European operations and strengthen the government’s privatization efforts by improving the airline’s appeal to potential investors.
Pakistan receives 38,000 Hajj applications in 10 days
- Total number of applications received so far is 11,000 more than during the corresponding period last year
- Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210, evenly split between the government and private tour operators
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Friday that 38,000 Hajj applications had been received in the first 10 days of the submission period, 11,000 more than during the same period last year.
The surge comes as Pakistan prepares to send 179,210 pilgrims for the annual Islamic pilgrimage in 2025, under a quota evenly divided between government and private Hajj schemes.
“By the tenth day, 38,000 Hajj applications have been received,” a ministry said in a statement, adding that designated banks would continue accepting applications over the weekend. The final deadline for submissions is Dec. 3.
Pilgrims under the regular Hajj scheme can secure their booking with an initial payment of Rs200,000 ($719), according to the statement.
Pakistan has steadily improved facilities for pilgrims in recent years.
One key initiative is the Makkah Route Initiative, which streamlines immigration processes by enabling pilgrims to complete formalities at their departure airports.
Initially tested in Islamabad in 2019, the program was later expanded to Karachi, benefitting tens of thousands of travelers.
Efforts have also included the launch of a mobile application, Pak Hajj 2025, to provide pilgrims with essential updates, flight details and navigation assistance in Saudi Arabia.
Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, attracts millions of Muslims annually to Makkah, with Pakistan consistently being among the largest contributors of pilgrims.
ICC talks continue on fate of Pakistan Champions Trophy
- Event’s fate has been hanging in the balance since India declined to visit Pakistan
- ICC meeting adjourned without a decision but will reconvene ‘in the next few days’
KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) said talks were continuing to settle uncertainty around next year’s Champions Trophy, sources told AFP, after India refused to travel to host nation Pakistan.
The event’s fate has been hanging in the balance since earlier this month, when the ICC said India had declined to visit Pakistan for the eight-team tournament.
The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.
A meeting by the Dubai-headquartered ICC was held briefly on Friday but adjourned without a decision, according to several sources with knowledge of the talks who were not authorized to speak to media.
“All parties continue to work toward a positive resolution,” said one source, adding that “it is expected that the board will reconvene in the next few days.”
The Pakistan Cricket Board has previously ruled out proposals allowing India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged on their turf.
Another source said the “Pakistani stance remains the same” following Friday’s brief meeting.
No let-up in Kurram fighting in Pakistan as death toll hits 98 amid fragile ceasefire
- Tribal elders in the area say dozens of families have moved from the region to safer locations
- Pakistani parliamentarian from Kurram puts the death toll at 110, seeking government intervention
PESHAWAR: Sporadic gunfire and violence persist in Pakistan’s Kurram district despite a ceasefire brokered last weekend by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) administration in the region, following sectarian clashes that have killed 98 and injured over 130 in the last nine days, a police official said Friday.
Kurram, a former semi-autonomous tribal area bordering Afghanistan, has a long history of violent conflicts that have claimed hundreds of lives over the years. A major conflict in the district, triggered in 2007, lasted for years before being resolved by a jirga, or council of tribal elders, in 2011.
The recent clashes in the restive district broke out when gunmen attacked a convoy carrying members of the minority Shiite community in Lower Kurram on November 21, killing 41 people.
Wazir Hussain, a police official stationed in the region, told Arab News that the ceasefire agreement had collapsed, adding that there was no let-up in clashes.
“Armed clashes have continued throughout the district,” he said over the phone. “There is a huge problem of communication because mobile signals and Internet have not been working for days.”
“Almost 98 people have died and over 130 injured in nine days of violence,” he continued. “Ceasefire agreement is nowhere and both the sides have been hitting each other’s positions with small and heavy weapons.”
Last Sunday, the provincial spokesperson of KP, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, announced in a statement that the two warring sides had agreed to temporarily halt attacks and enforce a seven-day ceasefire.
The development followed Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur’s statement that his administration was working toward a ceasefire before formulating a strategy to prevent such incidents in the future after consulting local elders.
Hameed Hussain, a Pakistani parliamentarian from Kurram, also confirmed while speaking to Arab News that the ceasefire brokered by the KP authorities had failed to hold up in all these days.
He said the death toll had exceeded 98 and stood at 110.
“Only last night’s clashes in Kalkuna, Badshah Kot and other villages have left 18 people dead,” he informed, adding that jirga members were trying to pacify the situation, but the government was finding it difficult to enforce its writ in the area.
Hussain said he had spoken with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a day earlier and briefed him about the situation.
“I told the PM that the government should at least secure the roads in Kurram for passengers to travel securely,” he added. “The prime minister promised to ensure durable peace in the area and take steps to resolve the issue.”
Kurram’s Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud told the media the district administration was making efforts to implement the ceasefire agreement.
“A breakthrough to halt attacks and enforce the ceasefire is expected soon,” he added.
The clashes in Kurram mark one of the deadliest incidents in the region in recent years, following outbreaks of sectarian violence in July and September that killed dozens.
According to local elders, dozens of families have moved from the region to safer locations to avoid casualties.
Pakistan PM announces anti-riots force to deal with violent protesters
- The development came after ex-PM Imran Khan’s party staged a protest in Islamabad leading to clashes with law enforcers
- PM Shehbaz Sharif says the anti-riots force should be equipped with professional training, tools of international standards
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to establish an anti-riots force in Pakistan to deal with violent protesters, Pakistani state media reported on Thursday.
The development came after former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party this week led a march to the federal capital of Islamabad to demand Khan’s release among other things, resulting in clashes between Khan supporters and law enforcers.
Pakistan’s government said three paramilitary soldiers and a police officer were killed in clashes. The protesters were dispersed after a late-night raid on Wednesday, following which the PTI said at least 20 of its supporters had been killed after being shot by law enforcers, an allegation denied by authorities.
Presiding over a meeting to review law-and-order situation in Islamabad, Sharif said those involved in “historical corruption and conspiracies to bankrupt the country” were making repeated attempts to spread chaos in the country, the Radio Pakistan broadcaster reported.
“The [anti-riots] force should be equipped with professional training and necessary tools of international level,” Sharif was quoted as saying at the meeting.
Sharif said immediate legal action should be taken against the ones who clashed with law enforcers in the capital, adding that the whole nation paid tribute to the security personnel who were killed while discharging their duties during the march.
On Thursday, lawmakers of the PTI’s political rivals, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), tabled a joint resolution in the Balochistan provincial assembly, calling on the federal government to ban Khan’s party.
“This august house of the Balochistan Assembly calls upon the federal government to impose an immediate ban on the PTI for spreading chaos in the country, and for attempting to make the armed forces of Pakistan and security forces fight with the people,” a copy of the resolution seen by Arab News said.
The resolution accused the PTI of being involved in violent activities in the country, saying it has adversely affected the country’s economy.
“Attacking the capital with provincial machinery and resources was a clear proof of the non-political agenda of a political party,” provincial lawmaker Meer Saleem Khosa said while presenting the motion.
Opposition parties such as the National Party (NP), Jamat-e-Islami (JI) and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) opposed the resolution.
Khan’s PTI has staged several protests this year to demand the release of the ex-premier, who has been in jail since August last year on a slew of charges, as well as to challenge results of the Feb. 8 national election.
