ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed a committee, led by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar, to formulate proposals for an oil and gas exploration policy in Pakistan after consultations with stakeholders, Sharif’s office said on Saturday.
The development came after the prime minister’s meeting with a delegation of petroleum and gas exploration and production companies in Islamabad, wherein he said exploring domestic oil and gas reserves was his government’s priority.
He invited petroleum and gas exploration firms to search for offshore reserves, saying that production from local reserves would save the country’s valuable foreign exchange and result in availability of cheaper oil and gas to the masses.
“After consultation with the representatives of the sector, the committee will formulate proposals for creating an attractive policy for exploration and development of petroleum and gas reserves in the country,” Sharif’s office said in a statement.
On the occasion, petroleum and gas exploration and production companies announced that they would invest $5 billion in Pakistan over the next three years. During this period, 240 sites will be drilled in search of petroleum and gas, according to the statement. The prime minister directed authorities to address the problems facing the sector on a priority basis.
Pakistan, which has been struggling with a balance of payments crisis, record inflation and steep currency devaluation, lacks adequate resources to run its oil- and gas-powered plants and imports most of its energy needs.
Consequently, planned power cuts, also known as loadshedding, plague the South Asian country of 241 million every summer due to fuel shortages and high demand, varying in length in different areas.
In April, Sharif had asked authorities to speed up efforts for foreign investment in solar energy projects as well as to accelerate the process of privatization of power generation companies and auction of inefficient power houses.
PM forms committee to draft oil, gas exploration policy for energy-deficient Pakistan
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PM forms committee to draft oil, gas exploration policy for energy-deficient Pakistan
- Pakistan, embroiled in an economic crisis, lacks adequate resources to run its oil- and gas-powered plants and imports most of its energy needs
- Planned power cuts, also known as loadshedding, plague the South Asian country of 241 million every summer due to fuel shortages and high demand
Pakistan PM calls for ‘close coordination’ among provinces to ensure peace in Muharram
- Thousands of Shia Muslims across Pakistan conduct religious gatherings and processions in Muharram
- Militants in the past have stoked sectarian tensions by targeting Muharram gatherings and processions
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday called for provinces, security teams and intelligence agencies to establish “close coordination” with each other to maintain peace across Pakistan during Muharram and prevent attacks on religious gatherings and processions.
Muharram marks the beginning of the new year in the Islamic lunar calendar during which Shia Muslims across Pakistan hold gatherings and organize religious processions to pay homage to Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Hundreds of thousands take out processions across the country on Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, to mourn Hussain’s martyrdom centuries ago in Karbala, present-day Iraq. Militants in the past have stoked sectarian tensions in the country by attacking religious processions in Muharram.
“Regarding Muharram, the Ministry of Interior, interior secretary, their teams and provinces should be in close coordination with other institutes like NACTA [National Counter Terrorism Authority] for sharing their information and intelligence,” Sharif said while speaking to members of his cabinet during a meeting.
He urged the center to extend help to all provinces, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan areas on a need basis to ensure foolproof security.
“We should pray to God that this month passes by in a peaceful manner and strengthens national unity,” the premier added.
The Punjab government last week requested the interior ministry to ban social media platforms from Muharram 6-11 across the province citing security concerns.
Pakistan’s government on Tuesday announced a two-day holiday on July 16 and 17 due to Muharram 9 and 10, the date for Ashura.
Nadhira Alharthy becomes first Omani to summit Pakistan’s ‘Killer Mountain’
- Alharthy, 46, was part of 10-member expedition that summited Nanga Parbat mountain on Wednesday
- Her latest achievement makes Alharthy first Omani to summit four peaks higher than 8,000 meters
KHAPLU, GILGIT-BALTISTAN: Oman’s Nadhira Alharthy became the first person from her country to summit the 8,126-meter Nanga Parbat mountain in northern Pakistan on Wednesday, a Nepal-based adventure tour company confirmed.
Gilgit-Baltistan, a sparsely populated northern region administered by Pakistan as an autonomous territory, is home to some of the highest peaks in the world and a major tourist destination. Hundreds of tourists visit the region each year for expeditions on various peaks, paragliding and other sports activities.
Nanga Parbat, also known as “Killer Mountain,” is Pakistan’s second-highest peak and the world’s ninth-highest mountain. Several climbers have died in the past attempting to summit the towering mountain.
“Huge congratulations to our team members and Sherpa who reached the pinnacle of Nanga Parbat on 10 July 2024,” Seven Summit Treks, the Nepalese company that organized the expedition, wrote on its social media platforms. it mentioned Alharthy’s name among the successful climbers.
“Against all odds, the team conquered this majestic peak, fueled by determination and teamwork,” it added.
Alharthy’s latest achievement makes her the first Omani woman to summit four peaks higher than 8,000 meters.
The 46-year-old climber has previously summited Mount Everest (8,849 meters) in 2019, Mount Manaslu (8,156 meters) in 2021, and K2 (8,611 meters) in 2022. She also climbed the 4,478-meter high Matterhorn in 2023 and the 6,812-meter high Ama Dablam mountain in Nepal in 2021.
Thaneswar Guragai, the company’s general manager, told Arab News that nine people summitted Nanga Parbat on Wednesday.
He said that of the nine climbers, three are from Nepal, one each from Oman, Azerbaijan, France, Norway, Ecuador and Greece.
“Professionally she works as a government officer in the Ministry of Education [of Oman]. However, for the last few years she has been continuously climbing peaks,” he disclosed.
According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department, more foreign climbers and trekkers have been issued permits to climb Pakistan’s mountains this year compared to 2023.
“This year, more than 2000 climbers and trekkers have been issued permits to climb and trek different peaks of Pakistan,” Sajid Hussain, deputy director for the GB Tourism Department, told Arab News.
He said last year, 650 mountaineers visited Pakistan while this year the government has issued permits to over 800 mountaineers.
“Out of 800 mountaineers, almost 200 climbers will try their luck to conquer K2,” Hussain said. “Women teams are also at the K2 base camp.”
Four foreigners have died in GB in less than two months this year. A Brazilian tourist was killed in a paragliding accident while a Japanese climber died while descending the Spantik mountain, with both deaths taking place this month.
Last month, two Japanese climbers went missing in GB. The body of one of the climbers was found after which authorities presumed the other dead and called off the search to recover him. The two Japanese climbers had also attempted to summit the Spantik mountain in GB’s Nagar district.
Ex-PM Khan seeks Pakistan chief justice’s recusal from benches hearing his cases
- Khan cites earlier Supreme Court judgment that restrained Justice Qazi Faez Isa from hearing cases involving him
- Khan’s government in 2019 filed presidential reference against Justice Isa, alleging he did not disclose properties bought by wife, children
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Wednesday sought Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s recusal from benches hearing his cases in a written statement to the Supreme Court, saying the move would uphold the principle of impartiality.
Khan submitted his response to the court in a case relating to amendments made to Pakistan’s accountability laws. The former premier had moved the top court in 2022 against certain changes made to the laws that year, alleging they were made to benefit influential accused persons and legitimize corruption.
In his response, Khan cited the top court’s judgment in a 2021 case in which the court had said Justice Isa, then a Supreme Court judge, should not hear cases against Khan to maintain impartiality. The reasoning cited by the court was that Justice Isa had filed a petition, in a personal capacity, against Khan in the same case.
“In the said judgment it is observed that in order to uphold the principle of unbias-ness and impartiality it would be in the interest of justice that Justice Qazi Faez Isa (as he then was, now Chief Justice) should not hear matters involving me,” Khan’s response read.
Justice Isa also faced a presidential reference filed by the Imran Khan-led government in May 2019 that alleged the judge had acquired multiple properties in London in the name of his wife and children from 2011 to 2015, but did not declare them in the statement of his assets.
Justice Isa had contested the allegations and maintained he was neither directly nor indirectly a beneficial owner of the properties. The reference was subsequently nullified by the Supreme Court but Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has repeatedly asked Justice Isa to recuse himself from cases involving the cricketer-turned-politician.
Khan has been in jail since last August after he was convicted in some cases ahead of a national election in February this year. He is also fighting dozens of other cases that Khan and his party say are politically motivated to thwart his return to power.
In recent months, Pakistani courts have suspended Khan’s jail sentences in two cases about the illegal acquisition and sale of state gifts and also overturned his conviction on charges of leaking state secrets.
However, he has remained in prison due to a conviction in another case in which a trial court ruled that his 2018 marriage was unlawful. Khan also faces a trial under anti-terrorism charges in connection with violence in May last year.
US and Pakistan conduct first joint counterterrorism exercise to address ‘perpetual terrorism threat’
- The exercise was conducted at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pakistan’s Punjab province
- The US said this week the two countries have ‘shared interest’ in countering regional security threats
ISLAMABAD: In a first, the United States and Pakistan conducted a two-week counterterrorism exercise at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi, Punjab province, to address the “perpetual terrorism threat” faced by both nations, the military’s media wing announced on Wednesday.
Last year, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir met with US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief General Michael Erik Kurilla in Washington where both military leaders emphasized the need to increase joint military training between the two countries.
The US and Pakistan have shared strong defense and security relations in the past, particularly during the Cold War after the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. However, more recently, US officials criticized Pakistan for not sufficiently supporting their military efforts against the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks.
“The Infantry Rifle Company Exercise 2024 between Pakistan and the US has been conducted for the first time in the counter-terrorism domain,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. “The two-week-long exercise commenced on June 29, 2024, at the National Counter Terrorism Center in Pabbi.”
The statement noted that Pakistani and US troops participated in the exercise with “efficiency and zeal,” displaying the highest standards of professional excellence.
The exercise focused on marksmanship skills, urban warfare tactics and refining individual and collective expertise. The training aimed to improve drills and procedures while sharing vital counterterrorism experience.
The US State Department has reiterated its commitment to expanding security cooperation with Pakistan, with counterterrorism as top priority.
Matthew Miller, the department’s spokesperson, stated this week the two countries have a “shared interest” in combating regional security threats when asked if the US would support Pakistan if it conducts cross-border attacks against militant targets in Afghanistan.
14 killed as jeep falls into ravine in Pakistan-administered Kashmir
- Jeep plunges from mountain road into ravine in Azad Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, says official
- Rescuers transport dead, two injured to hospital as cause of accident remains unknown
MUZAFFARABAD: A jeep fell from a mountain road into a ravine in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir on Wednesday, killing 14 people and injuring two others, officials said.
The incident happened in the Neelam Valley, government administrator Nadeem Janjua said.
Rescuers had transported the dead and injured to a hospital while the cause of the accident is still to be determined, Janjua said.
Kashmir is divided between neighboring India and Pakistan, with both claiming the entire territory.
Road accidents are common in Pakistan mainly because of poor road infrastructure and poor enforcement of traffic laws and safety standards.
Last month, a van fell into a river in the same district, killing 16 people, mostly children.
