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  • Gas suspension to Karachi’s industries could hit up to 250,000 workers — traders


Gas suspension to Karachi’s industries could hit up to 250,000 workers — traders

A worker monitors the wheat grind process turning it into flour at a mill in Karachi on January 21, 2020. (AFP)
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Updated 12 January 2021
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Gas suspension to Karachi’s industries could hit up to 250,000 workers — traders

  • December and January see largest spike in gas demand in Pakistan but this year authorities have said demand-supply shortfall is greater than before
  • Chronically short of natural gas, Pakistan diverts supplies from industries and power plants to domestic consumers in winters, disrupting production activity
Updated 12 January 2021
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: Gas supply suspension to Karachi’s industrial zones could impact the livelihoods of up to 250,000 workers, heads of Karachi industry bodies said on Monday, warning that economic recovery would suffer if measures were not taken in a timely manner to rectify the situation.
Since the start of the winter, Pakistanis using natural gas for cooking and heating, as well as factories and power plants that rely on the fuel, have experienced significant inconvenience due to low gas pressure or no supply at all.
Factories and business in the port city of Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial hub, have been badly affected, threatening jobs and the livelihoods of workers.
Indeed, December and January see the largest spike in demand for gas in Pakistan, but this year authorities have said the demand-supply shortfall is greater on the back of higher consumption and diminishing indigenous supply.
Pakistan, chronically short of natural gas, diverts supplies from industries and power plants to domestic consumers in winters, disrupting production activities.
Industrialists say a shutdown of business activity due to gas shortages has put at risk the livelihoods of up to 250,000 workers in all seven zones of Karachi.
“In our association there are around 8,000 worker who have been affected due to the situation and there would be more than 250,000 workers who are directly affected in seven industrial zones,” said Naveed Shakoor, president of the Bin Qasim industrial zone.

“The gas supplies of more than 474 captive power plants has been suspended for the last 15 days, which has rendered more than 50,000 daily wagers out of work,” Faisal Moiz, president of the North Karachi North Karachi industrial zone told Arab News after a press conference by representatives of Karachi’s seven industrial zones.
“Gas supplies have adversely impacted almost all industries including pharmaceuticals, food suppliers, textile and export oriented manufacturing units and their suppliers are suffering,” Moiz said, adding that many industries had suspended operations altogether.

Saleem-uz-Zaman, president of the Qur’angi Association of Trade and Industry, said industries had borrowed money to keep afloat during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns imposed in March, “but now we can not run industries on loans any more.”
Abdul Hadi, president of the SITE industrial zone, said the government had first increased the rates of gas from Rs786 to Rs930 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) and then suspended gas supply altogether.
Pakistan has suffered from chronic energy supply problems for years, with regular power blackouts and gas outages caused by a mix of poorly maintained distribution networks, inefficient regulation and poor governance.
The country has significant natural gas reserves that can fill almost half its energy requirements but supply constraints have led to increasing demand for LNG imports.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s critics say the natural gas companies are not solely responsible for the recent energy crisis, pointing to decisions made by his government which have discouraged the importing of LNG.
In October 2019, the Khan government announced it would renegotiate agreements for two liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals as part of a wider investigation into deals struck by the previous government.
The rapid adoption of LNG infrastructure made Pakistan one of the industry’s fastest-growing markets in Asia, sparking interest from the world’s major energy producers and traders.
“1,100mmbtu regasified liquefied natural gas is being imported but the industries of Karachi are not getting their due share,” Hadi from the SITE industrial zone said. “The gas to captive power should be restored and gas tariff should be reduced.”
Saeed Ahmed Larik, Deputy Managing Director at the Sui Southern Gas Company, told reporters the utility had informed the government about the shortage of gas. The utility supplies gas to 4,400 industrial consumers.
Natural gas makes up 50 percent of Pakistan’s primary energy mix. The local production of gas has been stagnant at 4,000mmcfd for the last 10 years as compared to the constrained demand of 6,000mmcfd and unconstrained demand of 8,000mmcfd.

Topics: Pakistan Gas loadshedding Industries

Qatar Airways denies reports of office closures in Pakistan

Updated 9 sec ago
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Qatar Airways denies reports of office closures in Pakistan

  • The airline says flights to and from Pakistan have been operating as per schedule
  • Local media had claimed Qatar Airways had shut down offices in Pakistani cities
Updated 9 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Qatar Airways on Wednesday denied media reports claiming it was shutting down operations in Pakistan and saying its “offices remain open.”
The airline, Qatar’s national carrier, was founded in 1993 and is wholly owned by the State of Qatar. Operating from its hub at Hamad International Airport in Doha, it has become one of the world’s leading airlines, known for its modern fleet, luxurious amenities, and extensive route network.
The clarification followed local media reports and statements from travel agents earlier this week, alleging that Qatar Airways had closed its offices and call centers across Pakistan, even as flights continued to operate on schedule.
“Qatar Airways flights to and from Pakistan are operating as usual and our offices remain open,” the airline said in a post on X. “Recent published reports claiming that Qatar Airways has closed offices in Pakistan are incorrect.”


Qatar Airways began operations in Pakistan in 1994, the year the airline was established.
Initially, it started flying to Karachi, but it has expanded its services to other major Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar, since then.
The airline offers both domestic and international connections.

Topics: Qatar Airways Pakistan

Pakistan PM to inaugurate faceless customs assessment system today during Karachi visit

Updated 26 min 2 sec ago
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Pakistan PM to inaugurate faceless customs assessment system today during Karachi visit

  • Launched as a pilot project last month, the system aims to streamline customs clearance through automation
  • Shehbaz Sharif will also visit PSX to celebrate its achievement as the second-best performing global stock market
Updated 26 min 2 sec ago
NAIMAT KHAN

KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to inaugurate the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) new Faceless Customs Assessment System at the Karachi Port Trust during his daylong visit to the city, which began on Wednesday, to examine several key initiatives aimed at improving economic efficiency and health care services.
The Faceless Customs Assessment System, launched as a pilot project in December 2024, aims to streamline customs clearance through automation. By minimizing human interaction, the system seeks to enhance transparency, reduce clearance times and improve trade facilitation.
The initiative marks the first step in a broader government plan to scale up the system to upcountry ports and border stations in the coming months.
“The Prime Minister will visit the South Asia Pakistan Terminal at Karachi Port Trust, where he will inaugurate the FBR’s automated customs clearance system, the Faceless Customs Assessment System,” the PM Office said in a statement. “The Prime Minister had directed the installation of this system during his last visit to Karachi.”
Pakistan seeks to modernize its port facilities to transform itself into a transit trade hub. The country has also invited landlocked Central Asian nations to utilize its ports for access to global sea lanes, enhancing regional trade connectivity.
Sharif is also scheduled to attend a ceremony at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) to celebrate its achievement as the second-best performing stock market globally in 2024, with the benchmark KSE-100 Index rising 56 percent over the year.
His PSX visit comes at a time when the government aims to unlock both foreign and domestic investment to overcome a prolonged economic crisis. Pakistani officials have described the market’s strong performance as a reflection of growing investor confidence and the administration’s commitment to fiscal reforms and improved business facilitation.
Sharif will also attend the launch of the “Manual of Clinical Practice Guidelines” at Aga Khan University, calling it a milestone in Pakistan’s health care sector. The guidelines are expected to standardize medical practices and improve health care delivery nationwide.

Topics: Karachi

Protesters in Pakistan’s north continue blockade of key highway to China over power outages

Updated 08 January 2025
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Protesters in Pakistan’s north continue blockade of key highway to China over power outages

  • Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan started a sit-in on Jan.1, vowing to protest until they got reliable electricity
  • Despite the area’s significance, some residents say they only get electricity for 30 minutes in 24 hours
Updated 08 January 2025
Reuters & Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of protesters in Pakistan’s northern Hunza Valley blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday, demonstrating against severe power outages during the region’s freezing winter.
The protest, which began on January 1, involves local residents, political parties and civil society groups who vowed to continue their sit-in until their demands for reliable electricity were met.
Demonstrators on Tuesday voiced frustration over the Gilgit-Baltistan government’s failure to ensure even a few hours of power each day, saying over 80,000 people were struggling for basic needs.
The KKH, a vital trade and strategic route linking Pakistan with China, has been obstructed at Aliabad, the district headquarters of Hunza. The area plays a critical role in bilateral trade facilitated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has increased since an agreement to keep the Khunjerab Pass open year-round for economic exchanges.
“This is a nerve-breaking power outage in Hunza,” said Baba Jan, a protester, speaking at the sit-in. “We are getting power only 30-40 minutes in 24 hours.
“It is very cold here,” he added. “The temperature drops to minus 15 at night. Students don’t have Internet due to the power outage. There are issues in lighting, heating and cooking that people are facing here.”
Rehan Shah, another protester agreed, emphasizing the area’s important defense and strategic location.
“It’s the gate of CPEC and Pakistan-China connectivity,” he noted. “People here are hardly getting power for one hour and twenty minutes during the daytime. They’ve been out protesting on the streets for the last six days.”
Power cuts, known locally as load shedding, are a chronic issue in Pakistan, with many areas facing significant disruptions. The harsh winters in Gilgit-Baltistan exacerbate the problem, leaving residents without adequate heating or access to essential services.
Last week, Hamid Hussain, an engineer at the Gilgit-Baltistan Water and Power Department, acknowledged the issue but attributed it to technical limitations.
“The region heavily relies on hydropower, which often faces disruption in winter due to the freezing of rivers and lakes,” he told Arab News.
“There are 137 power stations in Gilgit-Baltistan,” he added. “The installed capacity of these power stations is 190 megawatts. However, power generation is 140 megawatts during the summer while 76 megawatts during the winter due to the low flow of water.”
Protesters have demanded thermal power generators to supplement energy needs during the winter, but Hussain said they were costly and were hard to implement due to financial constraints.

Topics: protest Hunza karakoram highway Pakistan China

Diplomat pays tribute as 89 Pakistani devotees attend Sufi saint’s death anniversary in India

Updated 08 January 2025
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Diplomat pays tribute as 89 Pakistani devotees attend Sufi saint’s death anniversary in India

  • Religious devotees are commemorating the 813th anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer
  • Despite strained relations between the two nuclear-armed states, cultural and exchanges continue
Updated 08 January 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A group of 89 Pakistani devotees began attending the 813th annual Urs, or death anniversary commemoration, of the 12th-century Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in India, with a Pakistani diplomat laying a traditional chaddar, or ceremonial cloth, at his shrine on Tuesday.

Born in 1141 in Sistan, modern-day Iran, Chishti arrived in India in the late 12th century and gained a following for his teachings of compassion and service to humanity, which resonated deeply with the region’s marginalized communities. Known as Gharib Nawaz, or Benefactor of the Poor, he established the Chishti Order of Sufism in South Asia.

His legacy as a symbol of interfaith harmony endures through his shrine in Ajmer, Rajasthan, which draws millions of devotees annually, particularly during the commemoration of his death anniversary.

“To participate in the 813th annual Urs Mubarak of Hazrat Khwaja Syed Moinuddin Hasan Chishti (RA), a group of 89 Pakistani Zaireen [pilgrims] is in Ajmeer Sharif from 7-9 January 2025,” the Pakistan High Commission said on X, formerly Twitter.

“Pakistani Zaireen accompanied by Second Secretary, Pakistan High Commission, New Delhi, Mr. Tariq Masroof, placed the traditional Chaddar at the Shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Syed Moinuddin Hasan Chishti,” it added.

The event underscores how cultural and religious exchanges have persisted between India and Pakistan despite strained diplomatic relations since August 2019, when New Delhi revoked Kashmir’s special constitutional status. The disputed Himalayan region has long been a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, who have fought wars and numerous border skirmishes over it.

Religious tourism remains a crucial element of people-to-people exchanges under the 1974 Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines, which permits citizens of both nations to visit sacred sites. These include Hindu and Sikh temples in Pakistan and Islamic shrines in India.

At the beginning of the year, the Pakistan High Commission announced it had issued 94 visas to Indian nationals to attend the birth anniversary of an 18th-century Hindu spiritual leader in Sindh province.
Pakistan has also promoted religious tourism by hosting Buddhist monks, as well as Hindu and Sikh pilgrims from India and other countries.

Topics: Pakistan India Hazrat Khwaja Syed Moinuddin Hasan Chishti

Pakistani authorities deny detaining 800 Afghans, say only repatriating illegal immigrants

Updated 08 January 2025
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Pakistani authorities deny detaining 800 Afghans, say only repatriating illegal immigrants

  • Afghan embassy recently said Islamabad administration was making arrests, targeting registered refugees
  • Pakistani authorities announced in November Afghan nationals would require NOCs to stay in Islamabad
Updated 08 January 2025
Fatimah Amjad

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration on Tuesday rejected claims by Afghanistan’s diplomatic mission it had detained approximately 800 Afghan citizens, asserting it was only repatriating illegal foreign nationals in accordance with the law.

Pakistan, which hosted over four million Afghan refugees after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, registered these individuals with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR). They were issued Proof of Registration (PoR) cards and Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC) to allow legal residence and access to services such as health care and banking.

Another wave of Afghan refugees arrived after the Taliban’s capture of Kabul in 2021 amid the withdrawal of US-led international forces. Confronted with economic challenges and a surge in militant violence perpetrated by groups reportedly operating from Afghan territory, Pakistan initiated a crackdown against “illegal immigrants,” mostly Afghans, citing security concerns.

Pakistani officials said in 2023 that some Afghan nationals had been involved in attacks, including suicide bombings, targeting civilians and security forces, a claimed denied by the administration in Kabul.

The Afghan embassy in Pakistan said on Monday authorities in Pakistan’s federal capital had detained about 800 Afghan nationals, including individuals registered with the UNHCR.

“It is clarified that only the illegal foreign nationals are being repatriated as per law of the land,” the ICT administration said in a statement.

“With regard to Afghan nationals, it is being clarified that those holding valid documentation— such as Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, Afghan Citizen Cards (ACC), visas, or those listed for third-country resettlement— are not being repatriated,” it added. “Islamabad Civil Administration remains committed to safeguarding the rights of all documented individuals.”

The statement further noted that search and combing operations were also conducted in compliance with the law, offering undocumented foreign nationals the chance to validate their status.

It also confirmed that in 2025, Islamabad authorities deported 183 illegal foreign nationals, while two were still in holding areas. Officials stressed that those deported lacked any legal documentation and reiterated that actions are taken strictly against undocumented individuals.

“The civil administration reaffirms its commitment to ensuring fair and humane treatment of all individuals while strictly adhering to legal requirements,” the ICT statement said, urging foreign nationals to carry valid documentation to avoid inconvenience.

Last year in November, Pakistani authorities announced that Afghan nationals would need no-objection certificates (NOCs) to stay in Islamabad. The decision followed the detention of several Afghan nationals who reportedly participated in a political rally by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which turned violent, resulting in casualties.

The Afghan embassy expressed concern over alleged “unwarranted arrests, home searches, and extortion targeting Afghan nationals,” highlighting the reported detentions, including 137 who, it said, were temporarily registered with the UNHCR and had applied for visa extensions.

Topics: Afghan refugees Pakistan Islamabad

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