KARACHI: Heavy fog in Pakistan’s Punjab province has disrupted flight operation from three major airports, with flights from Lahore, Sialkot and Multan facing cancelations, changes and delays, a spokesperson of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) said on Wednesday.
During the winter season, dense fog blankets the plains of the country, particularly affecting regions in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. This diminishes visibility to as low as 100 meters, leading to flight delays and diversions.
Over the past week, a total of 32 flights destined for Faisalabad, Multan, Lahore and other Punjab airports had to be redirected to Islamabad International Airport due to the prevailing fog conditions.
“Severe fog ongoing in the country has affected PIA flights from Lahore, Multan and Sialkot airport,” the airline’s spokesperson, Abdullah Khan, said in a statement, adding the PIA apologized for any inconvenience caused due to these operational challenges.
“Low visibility and intensity of fog pose difficulties in flight operations,” he added. “Flights from Lahore, Multan, and Sialkot may be canceled, changed or delayed due to fog.”
Khan noted that flight operations were usually affected in these cities in winter.
“All passengers are urged to obtain information about their flights from the PIA call center before heading to the airport,” he added.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast that dense foggy conditions are expected to continue until next week in most parts of the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.
“We won’t see any relief in fog especially in the plains of the country for the next week or so,” Dr. Zaheer Babar, a Met Office official, told Arab News earlier this week.
He said light rain was expected on December 28 and 29 in the mountainous areas of the country while dry weather was expected to prevail in the plains.
“The foggy conditions may continue to affect transportation,” Babar said. “Therefore, travelers should plan their journeys beforehand to avoid any congestions and delays.”
Heavy fog in Pakistan’s Punjab disrupts flights at Lahore, Sialkot and Multan airports
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Heavy fog in Pakistan’s Punjab disrupts flights at Lahore, Sialkot and Multan airports
- Several flights were canceled last week, with Pakistan International Airlines warning of more delays
- Intense fog can reduce visibility to as little as 100 meters, impacting road travel and flight operations
Pakistan fined, docked 5 points for slow over rate against South Africa
- Pakistan was ruled to be five overs short of target after time allowances were taken into consideration
- South Africa swept Pakistan 2-0 in the series with a 10-wicket win inside four days in the second Test
DUBAI: The ICC has fined Pakistan players 25 percent of their match fee and also docked the team five World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow over-rate against South Africa in the second Test at Newlands.
South Africa, which will take on Australia in the WTC final at Lord’s in June, swept Pakistan 2-0 in the series with a 10-wicket win inside four days in the second Test.
The ICC said in a statement that match referee Richie Richardson of the West Indies imposed the sanction after “Pakistan was ruled to be five overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration.”
According to the ICC code of conduct, players are fined five percent of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time. The teams are also penalized one WTC point for each over short.
The ICC also said that Pakistan captain Shan Masood accepted the proposed sanction, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
Pakistan is at No. 8 in the points table just above last-placed West Indies.
Pakistan to hire consultant in few weeks for regulatory framework on satellite-based Internet
- Pakistan, a country of more than 240 million, has witnessed up to 40 percent drop in Internet speeds in the last few months
- The country is in talks with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite Internet provider, plans to link up with 2Africa submarine cable
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will be hiring a consultant to finalize regulations regarding satellite-based Internet services in the country, its information technology (IT) ministry said on Monday.
The statement came after State Minister for IT Shaza Fatima Khawaja chaired a meeting in Islamabad to review progress on licensing of Starlink Services, owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, and regulatory frameworks for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.
Pakistan, a country of over 240 million, has witnessed up to 40 percent drop in Internet speeds in the last few months, according to the Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (WISPAP).
The drop came as the federal government last year moved to implement a nationwide firewall to block malicious content and protect government networks from cyberattacks, with IT associations saying the slowdowns have resulted in significant losses.
“During the meeting, it was decided that consultant hiring will be completed in a few weeks, for regulations,” the Pakistani IT ministry said.
“The minister emphasized the need for aligning Pakistan’s policies with global standards to unlock satellite technology’s full potential for national growth.”
Pakistan suffered a total of $1.62 billion losses due to Internet outages and social media shutdowns in 2024, according to a report by global Internet monitor Top10VPN.com, surpassing losses in war-torn countries like Sudan and Myanmar.
The report, released on Jan. 2, said Pakistan experienced 9,735 hours of Internet disruptions that affected 82.9 million users, with elections and protests cited as the primary causes.
The IT state minister last month confirmed that Pakistan was in talks with Musk’s Starlink to bring satellite Internet services to the country.
“Discussions [at Monday’s meeting] focused on expediting these processes to ensure a robust regulatory framework for LEO satellites, enhancing connectivity, and driving technological innovation,” the IT ministry added.
Pakistan also plans to enhance its Internet speeds and connectivity by linking up with the 2Africa submarine cable later this year, according to the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA), which regulates Internet in the South Asian country.
2Africa, one of the world’s largest submarine cable systems, spans 45,000 kilometers and connects 46 locations across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, offering speeds of up to 180 Tbps.
Qaddafi Stadium renovation nears completion ahead of next month’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan
- The stadium will feature over 34,000 seats, brand-new scoreboards and state-of-the-art floodlights
- The ICC Champions Trophy is set to begin on Feb. 19 in Karachi with Pakistan taking on New Zealand
ISLAMABAD: The renovation of Qaddafi Stadium in Pakistan’s eastern Lahore city is close to completion, with all major structural work finished and final touches being applied ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistani state media reported this week.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been renovating stadiums in Lahore and Karachi in preparation for the 2025 Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in February across three venues: Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. This will be the first ICC tournament held in Pakistan since the 1996 World Cup.
Pakistani fans have long expressed dissatisfaction with the country’s stadiums, particularly the National Bank Stadium in Karachi, citing a lack of basic facilities and a subpar viewing experience for spectators. In May last year, PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi directed officials to immediately hire an international consultant to upgrade Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore, National Bank Stadium in Karachi and Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
The PCB chairman visited Qaddafi Stadium on Monday to assess the progress of the renovation project and inspected construction of floors of the main building and top tiers of general enclosures, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
“The up-gradation of Qaddafi stadium is all but complete as 100 percent grey structure work has been completed while finishing work is being undertaken at a rapid pace,” the report said, citing the PCB chairman.
Qaddafi Stadium is set to transform into a world-class facility, featuring over 34,000 seats, brand-new scoreboards on both sides and state-of-the-art floodlights, ensuring exceptional visibility for both players and spectators after sunset, according to the report.
Naqvi praised workers for keeping the project’s completion on track despite the challenging winter conditions and dense fog.
“We are committed to delivering a fully renovated and modernized Qaddafi Stadium before the ICC Champions Trophy,” he said. “It will stand as a symbol of excellence and pride for Pakistan cricket.”
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will take place from February 19 till March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromised decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing “security concerns.” Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal. Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on Feb. 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on Feb. 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, after an eight-year hiatus. The last tournament took place in England in 2017. The event will feature top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
Pakistan to abolish 150,000 government posts this year to implement rightsizing reforms
- The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to revive its $350 billion economy since avoiding a default in 2023
- The Pakistani government’s rightsizing process involves 43 ministries and 400 departments affiliated with them
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on Tuesday said the federal government planned to abolish nearly 150,000 vacant government posts by June to implement its rightsizing reforms, which aim to reduce expenditures and enhance efficiency of public departments.
Pakistan’s federal government established an austerity committee in Feb. 2024 to cut its expenditures and implement institutional rightsizing reforms.
On Dec. 24, the committee proposed the closure and merger of various departments in the Ministries of Science and Technology, Commerce, Housing and Works, and National Food Security.
The committee also suggested the federal cabinet to reduce staff in these ministries by 30 percent, aiming to save the national exchequer around Rs42.1 billion ($151 million) annually.
“For the rightsizing of federal government, entire process, including recommendations and implementation for all 43 ministries and their 400 attached departments, will be completed before June 30,” Aurangzeb said at a press conference in Islamabad.
“Sixty percent of vacant regular posts, approximately 150,000, will be abolished or declared redundant, resulting in a significant financial impact.”
The development comes amid Pakistan’s efforts to revive its $350 billion economy since avoiding a default in June 2023. The South Asian country last year secured a new $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and has been actively pursuing trade and investment opportunities to put the economy on the path of recovery.
Sharing six-month performance of the austerity committee, he said general non-core services, including gardening, cleaning and plumbing, were outsourced by government departments to improve efficiency, while contingency posts were reduced to some extent.
“In the first phase, decisions were made concerning six ministries, including Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, SAFRON (State and Frontier Regions), IT and Telecom, Industries and Production, National Health Services, and the Capital Administration and Development Division (CAD),” he said.
The committee decided to abolish CAD and merge the Ministries of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan with SAFRON, according to the finance minister. This reduced 80 entities associated with these ministries to 40.
In the second phase, he said, the Ministries of Science and Technology, Commerce, Housing and Works, and National Food Security were reviewed.
“Out of the 60 entities within these ministries, 25 will be dissolved, 20 will be reduced, and nine will be merged,” Aurangzeb said, promising to ensure implementation of the austerity committee’s decisions.
“In the third phase, recommendations regarding five ministries, Federal Education and Professional Training, Information and Broadcasting, National Heritage and Culture, Finance Division, and Power Division, will be submitted to the federal cabinet for approval.”
Hundreds protest power outages in Pakistan’s north for fifth consecutive day
- Routine load-shedding is widespread across fuel-deprived Pakistan, but residents of mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region endure prolonged blackouts
- Senior government official in the region says negotiations are ongoing with the protesters, who demand under-construction power projects be expedited
KHAPLU: Hundreds of people blocked a highway on Tuesday in Pakistan’s mountainous northern region in protest against power outages lasting longer than 20 hours, as temperatures plunged to minus 15 degrees Celsius.
Routine load-shedding is widespread across fuel-deprived Pakistan, but residents of the mountainous, snow-covered regions in Gilgit-Baltistan endure prolonged blackouts.
“We have been facing the worst kind of power cuts, we get only one or two hours of electricity during the whole day,” Baba Jan, a political activist who organized the protest, told AFP.
Around 1,000 people have joined the demonstration in the picturesque valley of Hunza since Friday, blocking a section of the 1,300-kilometer (808-mile) Karakoram Highway and preventing dozens of freight trucks from crossing into China.
People in the region usually rely on wood to keep warm as both gas and fuel-operated generators are too expensive.
“People from all walks of life including the tourists are suffering in extremely cold weather due to the absence of electricity,” Zahoor Ali, another protest organizer told AFP.
The highway is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in which China has invested billions of dollars, connecting the northern border to the southern coastal city of Gwadar.
“The Karakoram Highway at Ali Abad in Hunza is completely blocked for traffic... business between Pakistan and China is suspended for days owing to the blockade,” local trader Javaid Hussain told AFP.
“For the smooth running of business between Pakistan and China, the government should take steps to end the power crisis in the region.”
Pressure on the electricity grid increases during peak winter and summer seasons, leading to planned load-shedding as the government grapples with an energy supply crisis, exacerbated by political instability and economic stagnation.
Owing to its remoteness, Gilgit-Baltistan is not connected to the national grid and fails to generate enough power from dozens of hydro plants while thermal plants have proven costly.
Kamal Khan, a senior government official in the region, told AFP by phone that negotiations were ongoing with the protesters, who have demanded that under-construction power projects be expedited and thermal generator plants activated.
“Their demands are genuine and we agreed to fulfil all of their demands except the running of thermal generators... because they are very expensive,” he said.
Public protests against rising electricity prices and load-shedding have increased over the years in the country.
Meanwhile, prices have soared to more than double their 2021 rate as the government attempts to comply with demands from the International Monetary Fund to raise revenue.
