Tag: Pakistan

Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsood

Death Toll Rises To 44 In Peshawar Mosque Blast

By LokMarg

The death toll has risen to 44 in the suicide blast that took place in a mosque in the Police Lines area of Peshawar in Pakistan on Monday, according to Dawn.

The casualties were confirmed by Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsood, who also stated that a rescue attempt was ongoing within the mosque.

“An emergency has been imposed at hospitals across the city and injured persons are being provided the best medical facilities,” Dawn reported citing the senior official as saying. Those who are injured in the blast, are reportedly said to be in critical condition.

The blast took place in the mosque located in the Police Lines area of Peshawar during afternoon prayers.

The security officials said that the suicide attacker was present in the front row during the prayers when he exploded himself, as per local media reports. The injured were taken to the Lady Reading Hospital of Peshawar for treatment.

(ANI)

An eyewitness said that there were at least 120 people in the mosque when the explosion took place. He said that the injured mostly included police personnel.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has condemned the terrorist suicide attack in a mosque in Peshawar. He called for improving intelligence and equipping police forces.

“Strongly condemn the terrorist suicide attack in police lines mosque Peshawar during prayers. My prayers & condolences go to the victims’ families. It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism,” Khan wrote in a tweet.

The area has been completely sealed and only ambulances are being allowed to enter the locality, according to Dawn. (ANI)

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Shias Demolished In Rawalpindi

Houses of Hindu, Christian, Shias Demolished In Rawalpindi

By LokMarg

Authorities in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi have demolished houses of a minority community, a Hindu and a Christian family, who were living in the area for the past 70 years.

As per the sources, at least five houses were demolished in the Cantonment area of Rawalpindi on January 27 belonged to a Hindu family, a Christian family, and Shias. Their belongings were thrown on the streets in the neighborhood.

The Hindu family was forced to take shelter in a nearby temple, whereas the Christian family and Shias were forced to live without any shelter.

Sources reveal that the victims’ families tried to take a stay order from the court, but authorities used force to demolish their houses.

A Hindu victim said, “They are mafias and came in a group of at least 100 people. They even harassed us, attacked us as we tried to counter them. They are so powerful that no FIR was registered at the police station”.

He added, “We tried to oppose them in a court, but the Cantonment Board has only one judge, Naveed Akthar, who takes their favor. We were having all the papers as we have been living here for over 70 years. They have not given us any notice and no time to save our household goods. We have no option but to take the family to a temple”.

Minorities in Pakistan have been facing persecution for the past several decades. The authorities, police, and even judiciary remain mute spectators on the harassment of minorities in the country.

Speaking to ANI, Dr. Amjad Ayub Mirza, an expert on Pakistan’s Affairs said, “Persecution of Hindus and minorities in Pakistan is not something that is new to us. Since the inception of this illegal and fake country that was created in the name of religion by dividing the living body of Hindustan, we have seen persecution of Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and Shins now, and has been at the forefront of Pakistan’s atrocities against its own people.”

There are innumerable incidents of persecution of minorities in Pakistan, especially for abduction and forced conversion of young girls.

Recently, UN experts expressed alarm at the reported rise in abductions, forced marriages, and conversions of underage girls and young women from religious minorities in Pakistan and called for immediate efforts to curtail the practices and ensure justice for victims.

Noting Pakistan’s previous attempts to pass legislation that will prohibit forced conversions and protect religious minorities, the experts deplored the ongoing lack of access to justice for victims and their families.

Reports suggest these so-called marriages and conversions take place with the involvement of religious authorities and the complicity of security forces and the justice system. (ANI)

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Lasbela Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjum

Pakistan: 41 Killed As Coach Falls Into Ravine

By LokMarg

At least 41 people were killed after a passenger coach fell into a ravine in Pakistan’s Balochistan on Sunday, Dawn reported citing officials. The incident occurred in the Lasbela district of Balochistan.

Lasbela Assistant Commissioner Hamza Anjum has confirmed the incident. Anjum stated that the vehicle carrying 48 passengers was traveling from Quetta to Karachi, as per the Dawn report. He said that the vehicle crashed into the pillar of a bridge near Lasbela and subsequently fell into a ravine and caught fire. Hamza Anjum feared that the number of casualties could rise to 48.
“Due to speeding, the coach crashed into the pillar of a bridge while taking a U-turn near Lasbela. The vehicle subsequently careened into a ravine and then caught fire,” Dawn quoted Hamza Anjum as saying.

According to Hamza Anjum, three people, including a child and a woman have been rescued from the accident site, according to Dawn. One of the injured persons succumbed to his injuries while being taken to hospital. He added that the bodies recovered from the wrecked bus were unidentifiable. Anjum said that DNA testing will be conducted to identify the deceased. (ANI)

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A general view of a residential area is seen during a power breakdown in Karachi, Pakistan, January 10, 2021. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro - RC2K4L9PI1C2

Pakistan’s Recent Power Blackout Linked To Forex Woes

By LokMarg

Pakistan’s recent countrywide electricity blackout is a symptom of its enduring economic crisis as its forex reserves are dwindling and are not in a position to buy oil for the energy sector, writes Adnan Aamir in Nikkei Asia.

A prolonged shortage of dollars is wreaking havoc throughout the economy and a nationwide power outage this week underscored the razor-thin margins for error in Pakistan’s energy sector, he writes.
The government said the blackout, which lasted around 16 hours, was caused by a technical glitch in the transmission system, however, a federal official who spoke on condition of anonymity drew an indirect connection to dwindling fuel supplies, reported Nikkei Asia.

“The government turns off the power plants at night to save fuel,” said the official, who was not authorized to speak to the media, adding, “When they tried to resume them on Monday morning, the system tripped, and it created a crisis-like situation.”

As per distributors and some officials, a shortage of dollars will lead Pakistan toward an oil crisis, writes Aamir.

The Oil Companies Advisory Council — a body representing refineries, marketing, and pipeline companies — on January 13 sent a letter to the Ministry of Finance, a copy of which was seen by Nikkei Asia.

The group highlighted the problems industry players are having opening letters of credit to import petroleum products.

A letter of credit, or LC, is a document issued by the importer’s bank, guaranteeing payment to the exporter once the terms of the contract have been met.

“If LCs are not established on a timely basis, critical imports of petroleum products would be impacted, which may lead to a fuel shortage in the country,” the letter read. It further stated that once the supply chain is compromised, it could take six to eight weeks to normalize it.

The letter revealed further that Pakistan needs to import around 430,000 metric tonnes of gasoline, 200,000 tonnes of high-speed diesel, and 650,000 tonnes of crude oil every month. The total bill comes to about USD 1.3 billion, writes Aamir.

Echoing the council’s warning, the Power Division of Pakistan on Saturday wrote to the governor of the State Bank, saying stocks of petroleum products may dry up as banks refuse to open and confirm LCs for imports.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has downplayed the concerns over fuel, saying in a news release that Pakistan has enough stocks to meet gasoline demand for 18 days and diesel needs for 37 days.

But the federal official who spoke with Nikkei Asia said oil stocks are at dangerously low levels.

“Oil stocks are replenished on a regular basis through imports, which is not taking place as frequently as required due to the shortage of forex reserves,” he said.

Pakistan’s forex stockpile stood at USD 4.6 billion as of January 13, according to data released by the State Bank. The International Monetary Fund has estimated that Pakistan’s total external debt will be around USD 138 billion by the end of the current fiscal year in June, with about USD 21 billion worth of repayments due this year.

The situation has raised fears that Pakistan could join smaller South Asian neighbor Sri Lanka in default.

Islamabad is scrambling to revive a stalled IMF bailout program originally worth USD 6 billion and expanded with another USD 1 billion last year. (ANI)

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The pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan is struggling to replenish its supplies amid a shortage of essential life-saving drugs and other surgical instruments

Pakistan Faces Shortage Of Medicines, Surgical Equipment

By LokMarg

The pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan is struggling to replenish its supplies amid a shortage of essential life-saving drugs and other surgical instruments as the country is facing an economic crisis, The Express Tribune reported.

The economic crisis faced by Pakistan is caused by a number of factors, including the refusal of commercial banks to issue new Letters of Credit (LCs) on account of a shortage of US dollars that have impacted drug companies, as per The Express Tribune report.

Pharmaceutical companies have been facing difficulty to maintain stocks of essential life-saving drugs. As experts have warned of the economy “sinking into near-paralysis”, top pharmaceutical firms are facing difficulty to get raw materials to manufacture drugs while being forced to reduce production as patients suffer in hospitals, The News International reported citing sources.

The crisis comes as Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves touched an eight-year low of USD 4.3 billion and talk with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) hang in balance.

Due to the ongoing economic crisis, Pakistan is unable to buy basic imports, including medicine and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), several vaccines, and biological products for the treatment of cancer and other diseases, as per the news report.

As per the news report, the operation theatres are left with less than a two-week stock of anesthetics which is important for highly sensitive surgeries. Pharmaceutical companies are left with raw materials that will last for only four to five weeks, The Express Tribune reported.

Stakeholders of medical companies have called on Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to address their concerns and call on the state bank as well as commercial banks to resolve their issues.

Medical companies have warned that the crisis could create further severity as the raw materials needed for creating medicines have been held up at the Karachi port due to a shortage of dollars. Shipping containers with essential food items are stuck at the port in Karachi for weeks.

Meanwhile, interest expenses in Pakistan have increased to Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2.57 trillion in the first half of this fiscal year, amounting to 65 percent of the annual debt servicing budget, and is forcing the Pakistan government to reduce its other expenses, except those on defense, The Express Tribune reported. The development comes amid the government’s reluctance to opt for debt restructuring.

With a net income of PKR 2.5 trillion, Pakistan’s total spending on debt servicing and defense reached over PKR 3.2 trillion more than the government’s net income, which indicates that Pakistan will remain debt trapped as the tax collection has increased, however, the expenses have not been reduced, as per the news report.

In comparison to a massive expenditure of PKR 3.2 trillion on debt servicing and defense, only PKR 147 billion was spent on development, the report said, adding that the expenditure on development is 49 percent less in comparison to the previous fiscal year. (ANI)

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Indo-Pak Dialogue A Matter Between Two Countries: US | Lokmarg

Indo-Pak Dialogue A Matter Between Two Countries: US

By LokMarg

The talks between India and Pakistan are a matter for those two nations, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price has said.

His remarks came at a press briefing on Monday in response to a question regarding Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s call for talks with India and New Delhi’s response to the offer.

Ned Price said, “We have long called for regional stability in South Asia. That’s certainly what we want to see. We want to see it advanced.”

“When it comes to our partnership, our partnerships with India and Pakistan, these are relationships that stand on their own. We do not see these relationships as zero-sum. They stand on their own,” he added.

“We have long called for regional stability in South Asia, but the pace, the scope, the character of any dialogue between India and Pakistan is a matter for those two countries, India and Pakistan,” he said.

Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for “serious and sincere talks” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve outstanding issues. In an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV, Sharif said that Pakistan has learned its lesson after three wars with India and stressed that now it wants peace with its neighbor.

“My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Modi is that let’s sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning points like Kashmir. It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other and waste time and resources,” Shehbaz Sharif said.

“We have had three wars with India, and they have only brought more misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people. We have learned our lesson, and we want to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems,” he added.

Reacting to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s desire of holding talks with PM Modi, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We have already said that we have always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. But there should be a conducive atmosphere that does not have terror, hostility or violence. That remains our position.” (ANI)

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Pakistani Power Outages

Pakistan Suffers Nation-wide Power Outage For Over 12 Hrs

By LokMarg

A major power breakdown in Pakistan at around 7:34 am on Monday left many cities including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, and Islamabad without electricity, AAJ News reported. Even after 12 hours of outage, the power supply was not restored.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Energy in a statement said that the frequency of the national grid went down at 7:34 am which caused a “widespread breakdown” in the power system. It further said that the restoration of grid stations has been started from Warsak.

The Ministry of Energy tweeted, “According to initial reports, the system frequency of the National Grid went down at 7:34 this morning, causing a widespread breakdown in the power system. System maintenance work is progressing rapidly.”

In another tweet, it said, “The restoration of grid stations has been started from Warsak and in the last one hour limited number of grids of Islamabad Supply Company and Peshawar Supply Company have been restored.”

The power outage occurred after a technical fault was reported in the transmission line from Guddu to Quetta, causing the reduction of the power frequency from the optimum level, AAJ News reported citing sources.

Sources revealed that Sindh, Punjab, and Islamabad regions were impacted by the power breakdown. According to sources, the complete restoration of electricity might take time. It is the second power outage reported over the past four months in Pakistan which is currently dealing with the energy crisis and high energy costs.

Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO), which provides electricity to Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal and parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) said that the power supply to 117 grid stations of its company has been suspended, as per the news report.

IESCO tweeted, “Power supply to 117 grid stations of ISCO has been suspended yet no clear reason has been given by the Region Control Center. ISCO management is in constant communication with the concerned authorities.”

Power outage in Lahore occurred at around 7:25 am, as per the news report. The Orange Line train also stopped, which made it difficult for people to reach their workplaces. Around 90% of Pakistan’s economic hub was reported to be hit by the breakdown, AAJ News reported citing sources.

No electricity has been reported in North Nazimabad, Safoora, Saddar, DHA, Bahadurabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, Gurumandir, Jamshed Town, Clifton, Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Maymar, and other parts, as per the news report.

At least 22 districts of Balochistan were affected by the power outage, according to the Quetta Electricity Supply Company officials. The officials were trying to find details regarding the technical fault. They further said that National Transmission and Despatch Company were trying to restore electricity.

Citing spokespersons, the report said that the three major health facilities in Peshawar, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Lady Reading Hospital, and Hayatabad Medical Complex, were operating on generators after the electricity disruption. (ANI)

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Pak Gas Crisis To Worsen In Feb, Supplying Company Backs Out

Pak Gas Crisis To Worsen In Feb, Supplying Company Backs Out

By LokMarg

The gas crisis in Pakistan is set to worsen in February as ENI, a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) trading company in Pakistan, has backed out of the LNG cargo which was scheduled to arrive on February 6-7, 2023, a senior official of the Energy Ministry confirmed, The News International reported.

The Petroleum Division’s top officials are worried about the development as Pakistan is already facing a gas crisis. In some of the main pockets of the city, gas has become a rare commodity even at the time of cooking.
The government under its gas load management plan promised gas supply to domestic consumers for cooking times in winter, three hours in the morning from 6 am to 9 am, two hours from 12 noon to 2 pm, and three hours from 6 pm to 9 pm. The ground realities, however, speak otherwise, The News International reported.

According to the relevant authorities, the impact of ENI backing out will come in the shape of reduced supplies to the power sector and the projected supply of 325 MMcfd to the sector next month will not be available.

As a result of the crisis, the reliance on furnace oil-based electricity will increase and end consumers will get costly electricity. The Petroleum division had earlier claimed that the ENI from January 2023 onwards, will not default but that is not the case.

ENI spokesperson when contacted, confirmed the development, saying: “February delivery disruption is beyond the reasonable control of ENI and due to an event of Force Majeure (unforeseeable circumstances). ENI does not benefit in any way from the situation.”

According to the senior official, ENI defaulted five times in 2022; it failed to provide LNG cargoes in the months of March, May, July, September, and November, The News International reported.

Recently, it was reported that Pakistan has failed to procure Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at an “affordable” price.

The highest-ever bid that Pakistan accepted since it started LNG imports in 2015 was at USD 30.65 per mm Btu in November 2021. The state-run Pakistan LNG Ltd (PLL) floated a tender on June 16 for four LNG cargos, one each in the first and second weeks, and two in the last week, of July.

No bidder came up for July 2-3, July 8-9, and July 25-26 delivery windows. This was PLL’s ‘third’ failed attempt to have an LNG cargo in the first week of July.

Qatar Energy, a state-owned petroleum company of Qatar, had offered an LNG shipment at USD 39.8 per million British Thermal Units (mmBtu), which would have been the “priciest” purchase for Pakistan had it not rejected the offer. (ANI)

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Major Electricity Breakdown Across Pakistan

By LokMarg

A major power breakdown hit Pakistan leaving major cities without electricity due to a fault in transmission lines.

“There are reports of multiple outages from different parts of the city. We are investigating the issue and will keep this space posted,” said Imran Rana, Spokesperson, K-Electric in a Twitter post.
Confirming the development, Pakistan’s Geo News reported that several areas in Karachi and Lahore were without electricity.

“#BREAKING: Countrywide power break down since 7:30am in #Pakistan,” Pakistan journalist Asad Ali Toor tweeted.

The two transmission lines from Guddu to Quetta tripped, according to Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO). The company added that 22 districts of Balochistan, including Quetta, are without power, Geo News reported.

Pakistan this month announced a new energy conservation plan as its fragile economy continues to struggle with multiple challenges including the country’s foreign exchange reserves have dwindled to alarmingly low levels.

Earlier in October last year, Pakistan experienced a major power breakdown that deprived large swathes of the country, including provincial capitals Karachi and Lahore, of electricity, for more than 12 hours. (ANI)

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Pak Imported Cars Worth $1.2bn In 6 Months Despite $ Crisis

Pak Imported Cars Worth $1.2bn In 6 Months Despite $ Crisis

By LokMarg

Even though Pakistan is on the verge of financial collapse, the cash-strapped country has spent USD 1.2 billion on the imports of transportation items, including luxury cars and high-end electric vehicles, during the last six months, reported The News International newspaper.

According to the report, Pakistan is facing an acute shortage of dollars and has less than USD 5 billion in its reserves with its State Bank. The report said this is hardly sufficient to finance three-week imports.

Last year, the imports of these transportation vehicles and other items were reduced. However, many Pakistani are still buying expensive luxury vehicles and unnecessary goods burdening the economy, the report said.

In the last six months, Pakistan imported completely built units (CBU), completely knocked down/semi knocked down (CKD/SKD) of USD 530.5 million equivalent to USD 118.2 billion, the daily added.

Pakistan daily stated further that hefty spending on cars and other vehicle imports raises many questions about the government’s policy of halting imports related to the industrial and commercial sectors.

This report comes as virtual talks between Pakistan and International Monetary Fund (IMF) are likely to commence next week amid a severe economic crisis and falling foreign exchange reserves.

Pakistan has sent an official email to the IMF to look into the process and complete its ninth review, which is pending on its side, Geo News reported.

Experts believe Pakistan could sink deeper into a quagmire if the IMF program does not resume within the next few weeks. (ANI)

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