ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) announced the discovery of a new natural gas reserve in southern Sindh province this week, saying it could significantly contribute to the country’s energy resources.
Last year in June, the Energy Planning Resource Center reported a sharp decline in gas reserves, raising concerns about future gas production and supply in Pakistan.
The center projected that natural gas production might shrink to 2,306 million cubic feet per day by 2030.
Pakistanis have traditionally relied heavily on natural gas for their energy needs. Its significant decline could impact not only the lifestyle of its people but also increase the country’s energy import bill, which has been a major government expenditure.
“By the grace of Almighty Allah, the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) is honored to announce a significant gas-condensate discovery from its exploration efforts at Kharo-1, a well drilled in the Khewari exploration license area, located in District Khairpur, Sindh Province,” the OGDCL said in a note.
“The execution of drilling and testing operations for the Kharo-1 well structure, undertaken with the proprietary expertise of OGDCL, achieved a depth of 3,762 meters,” it added. “Subsequent testing procedures registered 14.3 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas, in addition to 93 barrels per day (bbls/d) of condensate.”
It added the new well had “the potential to significantly enhance the hydrocarbon reserves of OGDCL and its esteemed joint venture partners, and ultimately contribute to the national energy resources of the Country.”
Pakistan is trying to reduce its dependence on energy imports by developing indigenous resources and tapping into alternative energy options.
LAHORE: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) rally in Lahore abruptly ended after authorities cut the electricity supply shortly after the 6pm deadline, with the government calling the gathering a “flop show.”
After days of uncertainty, the Lahore administration on Friday evening allowed the PTI to hold the rally from 3-6pm in the Kahna area of the city, subject to compliance with 43 conditions, including that supporters would not cause unrest or chant anti-state slogans.
Thousands of people arrived in the city from different parts of Pakistan to attend the rally and demand the release of the ex-premier who has been in prison on multiple charges for over a year as the administration of Punjab, of which Lahore is the capital, asked organizers to strictly end the gathering by 6pm as agreed.
“With so much preparation, after taking so much time and making full effort, they [the PTI] were able to gather only a few people from across Pakistan,” Federal Minister of Information Attaullah Tarrar said in a televised statement. “If you take the aerial view of the venue of the rally, you will realize that it was a flop show.”
Speaking to Arab News, a district administration official said on condition of anonymity that the rally was agreed to be scheduled from 3pm to 6pm and the authorities gave Khan’s party another hour to wind up the gathering before cutting the power supply.
The authorities took the action as Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ali Amin Gandapur, who is also Khan’s close aide, arrived in the city and was on his way to the venue.
The KP administration’s spokesperson, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, said the Punjab government had blocked all the roads leading to the rally.
“The fear of the Punjab government is proof of the rally’s success,” he said, dismissing the “excuse” that the rally’s time was over.
“The closure of roads around the rally’s venue is a glaring proof of the Punjab government’s failure,” he added.
Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former country’s prime minister Imran Khan, take part in a public rally on the outskirts of Lahore on September 21, 2024. (AFP)
However, Azma Bokhari, the Punjab provincial information minister, denied any road blockades during a news conference shortly before the 6pm deadline expired.
Bokhari maintained the PTI leadership had failed to mobilize people, saying there was only a small number of them at the venue.
“A total of 3,000 people from Punjab have joined the rally,” she said. “I can say it categorically that the PTI has been eliminated from Punjab.”
Earlier, television footage showed caravans of Khan supporters arriving in Lahore from various cities in KP, where the PTI has been in power, and elsewhere in Punjab to attend the rally, with long queues of vehicles forming on sections of the Islamabad-Lahore motorway reportedly due to road closures.
Most of Lahore remained open for traffic but access to a main thoroughfare, the Ring Road, leading to the venue, was blocked at a few locations as preparations were ongoing for the rally.
“Our demands are simple, only that the rule of law applies to Imran Khan’s cases,” Salman Akram Raja, PTI secretary-general, told Arab News at the venue of the rally. “Most [of the cases] have been discarded, so will the rest, as will the arrest.”
“There’s no basis for detaining the most popular political leader in the country,” he continued, adding: “History is on our side.”
Prior to that, the Punjab provincial administration had warned PTI leaders and workers not to indulge in any lawlessness.
“Nobody will be allowed to [violate the law],” Minister Bokhari said at a presser Saturday afternoon. “Organizers are responsible of ending the rally by 6pm.”
Supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former country’s prime minister Imran Khan, take part in a public rally on the outskirts of Lahore on September 21, 2024. (AFP)
She criticized the Khan-backed KP government for allegedly utilizing public resources for the rally and said the gathering could not help get him out of prison. She signaled to the possible arrest of suspects wanted in cases related to violence during PTI protests in May last year.
“The Punjab administration, under the supervision of the chief minister, is fully monitoring everything in the city and the province from the beginning of this rally till it disperses,” the minister said.
Only a day earlier, the PTI complained of a crackdown on supporters ahead of the rally, saying authorities had arrested dozens of PTI members and supporters. Punjab Police Director of Public Relations Syed Mubashar Hussain declined to comment on the arrests.
ISLAMABAD: A constable of Islamabad Police has adopted a newborn baby girl who was found abandoned inside a red paper bag in a garbage bin on the outskirts of the federal capital, an official said on Saturday.
Dozens of newborn baby girls are abandoned annually at hospitals or dumped in garbage heaps across Pakistan due to poverty, the desire for a son or births out of wedlock.
Over 4.2 million abandoned and orphaned children are estimated to be without shelter in Pakistan, according to the SOS orphanage. Abandoned children left without care become victims of homelessness, exploitation and physical or sexual abuse.
Police officials in Islamabad were alerted on Friday by locals in the Chatha Bakhtawar area of the city to an infant found abandoned in a garbage dump inside a bag.
“One of our constables, Muhammad Asif, has adopted the girl, and she is in good health now,” Taqi Jawad, Islamabad police spokesperson, told Arab News.
He said a police team reached the spot immediately to rescue the baby following a call from local residents.
“The baby was immediately moved to a public hospital for a medical checkup where she was declared sound and healthy,” he said.
“One of the team members who rescued the infant is issueless,” he added. “So, he has adopted the girl.”
Jawad said the legal process for the adoption of the child was underway, and the documentation was getting completed.
The police spokesperson said the constable had applied for the guardianship of the child with the deputy commissioner’s office to fulfill the legal requirements for adoption.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday departed the country to attend the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where he is scheduled to arrive on September 23 and stay until September 27.
The UNGA holds annual sessions, bringing together world leaders to discuss pressing global concerns.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, Sharif will use this platform to stress the need for addressing long-standing issues on the Security Council’s agenda, particularly the question of Palestine and the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, which remain central to international and South Asian peace and stability.
“Departing for New York to represent Pakistan at the 79th UN General Assembly,” the prime minister announced in a social media post on X. “Looking forward to a busy week full of engagements.”
“During our interactions we will take up global issues, promoting peace, development & climate action,” he added. “Will present Pakistan’s perspective to the world, advocate our interests & strengthen international partnerships.”
Departing for New York to represent Pakistan at the 79th UN General Assembly. Looking forward to a busy week full of engagements. During our interactions we will take up global issues, promoting peace, development & climate action.Will present Pakistan's perspective to the world,…
According to local media, Sharif will first arrive in the United Kingdom, where he will have a brief stay before departing for New York.
He is scheduled to attend several important meetings on the sidelines of the UNGA session, including one on the existential threat posed by rising sea levels and the UN Security Council’s open debate on leadership for peace.
His program also includes bilateral meetings with world leaders and members of the Pakistani diaspora.
Meanwhile, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said in a brief statement that Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who was previously expected to accompany Sharif, will not participate in the UNGA session.
“In view of some important upcoming diplomatic engagements and the ongoing preparations for the 23rd Meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar will not proceed to New York for the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly,” Baloch said in a statement.
“Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif’s program for participation in the UNGA Session remains unchanged,” she added.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for the resolution of the Kashmir and Palestine disputes, Sharif’s office said on Saturday, as the world marked the International Day of Peace.
Since 1982, the International Day of Peace, a United Nations-sanctioned holiday also known as World Peace Day, is observed annually on September 21 and is dedicated to world peace, specifically the absence of war and violence.
Kashmir has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from the British rule in 1947, but both countries claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety and have fought multiple wars over the region.
In his statement, Sharif said the Pakistani government and the people joined the global community on the International Day of Peace to reflect on their shared values of tolerance, compassion and co-operation for a peaceful world, free of war and conflict.
“Pakistan strongly believes in fostering peace and stability in the region through dialogue. To effectively achieve this end, it is essential to resolve the longstanding disputes” he said.
“The foundation for any lasting resolution in the region thus, hinges solely on one critical factor: achieving a fair and just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute peacefully through an impartial plebiscite and relevant UN Security Council Resolutions.”
Sharif said his country recognized the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding among diverse communities in a world often marked by conflict and divisions.
“As we contemplate the significance of peace, we must not overlook the plight of the innocent people of Palestine, who are courageously facing state aggression,” he said. “For lasting peace in the Middle East, peaceful resolution of the dispute according to the UN resolutions and aspirations of the Palestinians is need of the hour.”
Pakistan does not recognize the state of Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters” and the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in October last year, the South Asian country has repeatedly raised the issue at the UN and demanded international powers and multilateral bodies stop Israeli military actions.
Sharif said his country recognized the critical importance of promoting a more peaceful and inclusive world for everyone and was ready to working with the global community toward this end. “It is only by working together now that we can build a peaceful tomorrow for our future generations,” he added.
LAHORE: Thousands of people arrived in Lahore from different parts of Pakistan on Saturday to attend a rally by former prime minister Imran Khan’s party to demand his release as the provincial government asked organizers to abide by the law and end the gathering by 6pm as agreed.
After days of uncertainty, the Lahore administration on Friday evening allowed Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to hold the rally from 3-6pm in the Kahna area of the city, subject to compliance with 43 conditions, including that supporters would not cause unrest or chant anti-state slogans.
The main aim of the rally, which follows one held in the federal capital of Islamabad on Sept. 8, is to mobilize supporters for the release of Khan, who has been in jail since August last year. He was convicted in four cases since he was first taken into custody, all of which have been either suspended or overturned by the courts. Khan, however, remains in jail on new charges brought against him regarding the illegal sale of gifts from a state repository while he was prime minister from 2018-22.
Television footage showed caravans of Khan supporters arriving in Lahore from various cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the PTI has been in power, and elsewhere in Punjab to attend the rally, with long queues of vehicles forming on sections of the Islamabad-Lahore motorway reportedly due to road closures. Most of Lahore remained open for traffic but access to a main thoroughfare, the Ring Road, leading to the venue, was blocked at a few locations as preparations were ongoing for Saturday’s rally.
“Our demands are simple, only that the rule of law applies to Imran Khan’s cases,” Salman Akram Raja, PTI secretary-general, told Arab News. “Most [of the cases] have been discarded, so will the rest, as will the arrest.”
“There’s no basis for detaining the most popular political leader in the country,” he continued, adding: “History is on our side.”
Naeem Haider Panjutha, Khan’s spokesperson on legal affairs, also sought justice for the ex-premier.
“The gross miscarriage of justice carries on for over a year now, we will keep fighting till our party leader is free,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Punjab provincial administration warned PTI leaders and workers not to indulge in any lawlessness.
“Nobody will be allowed to [violate the law],” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said at a presser Saturday afternoon. “Organizers are responsible of ending the rally by 6pm.”
Bokhari criticized the Khan-backed KP government for allegedly utilizing public resources for the rally and said the gathering could not help get him out of prison. She signaled to the possible arrest of suspects wanted in cases related to violence during PTI protests in May last year.
“The Punjab administration, under the supervision of the chief minister, is fully monitoring everything in the city and the province from the beginning of this rally till it disperses,” the minister said.
Only a day earlier, the PTI complained of a crackdown on supporters ahead of the rally, saying authorities had arrested dozens of PTI members and supporters. Punjab Police Director of Public Relations Syed Mubashar Hussain declined to comment on the arrests.
The PTI says it has faced an over year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023 after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case. Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.
The party says it was not allowed to campaign freely ahead of Feb. 8 general elections, a vote marred by a mobile Internet shutdown on election day and unusually delayed results, leading to accusations that it was rigged and drawing concern from rights groups and foreign governments.
The PTI says it won the most seats, but its mandate was “stolen” by the coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, which it says formed the government with the backing of the all-powerful military. Both deny the claim.
