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Pakistan contingent returns from Egypt after demonstrating prowess in multinational air exercise 

Pakistan contingent returns from Egypt after demonstrating prowess in multinational air exercise 
A group of Pakistan Air Force air and ground crew is seen posing for a photo next to an aircraft in Egypt on September 2, 2023. (Photo courtesy: Pakistan Air Force/File)
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Updated 17 September 2023
ARAB NEWS PAKISTAN 
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Pakistan contingent returns from Egypt after demonstrating prowess in multinational air exercise 

Pakistan contingent returns from Egypt after demonstrating prowess in multinational air exercise 
  • The Bright Star 2023 exercise brought together 30 countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, US and UK, Oman 
  • The PAF says it reaffirmed its operational readiness at the exercise in tackling contemporary strategic challenges 
Updated 17 September 2023
ARAB NEWS PAKISTAN 
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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has concluded its participation in a two-week multinational air exercise, Bright Star, in Egypt, the PAF said on Sunday, after demonstrating its prowess in air combat. 

The Bright Star 2023 exercise, held at Mohammed Naguib Military Base in Egypt, brought together a total of 30 countries, including prominent participants such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Oman, Jordan, Greece and Qatar. 

Since its inception in 1977 as a bilateral training event between the US and Egypt, the Bright Star exercise has grown into a remarkable multinational initiative, promoting combined force interoperability and shared learning among participating nations to counter regional, hybrid threats. 

“The exercise showcased the exemplary performance of PAF’s contingent and its state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. This participation not only highlighted PAF’s commitment to regional and international cooperation, but also underscored its capabilities and prowess to operate in diverse and challenging environments,” the PAF said in a statement. 

“Pakistan Air Force, with its commitment to regional stability and international cooperation, actively immersed in this exercise, emphasizing the profound strategic significance of this collaborative endeavor. The PAF contingent, comprising dedicated air and ground crews, demonstrated exceptional capabilities during the exercise, highlighting the prowess of the pride of Pakistan, the JF-17 Thunder aircraft.” 

The PAF, through rigorous training and realistic aerial warfare scenarios, reaffirmed its operational readiness and commitment to tackle contemporary strategic challenges during the two-week exercise, according to the statement. 

Its distinguished engagement in this prestigious event stood as a testament to the PAF’s dedication to the cause of global peace and security. 

“Pakistan Air Force looks forward to future collaboration with Air Forces of allied countries and to continue developing its capabilities to meet the evolving challenges in the face of contemporary security threats,” the statement read. 

Topics: Bright Star 2023 exercise Pakistan Egypt ties pakistan air force

Ex-PM Khan wants US envoy summoned in state secrets case as court sets indictment date

Ex-PM Khan wants US envoy summoned in state secrets case as court sets indictment date
Updated 1 min 51 sec ago
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Ex-PM Khan wants US envoy summoned in state secrets case as court sets indictment date

Ex-PM Khan wants US envoy summoned in state secrets case as court sets indictment date
  • Khan expresses refusal to strike a deal with state authorities for his release from high-security prison
  • The ex-premier’s party criticizes the prison authorities for restricting media presence during the trial
Updated 1 min 51 sec ago
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan on Monday asked a special court hearing a case against him on charges of leaking state secrets to summon the American envoy and a retired army general during his trial at a high-security prison in Rawalpindi, his lawyer said.
The court was established in August to hear what has popularly come to be called the cipher case, which was filed against Khan under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
According to its details, the former PM divulged the contents of an alleged diplomatic correspondence between Washington and Islamabad which he says proved that his ouster from power in a parliamentary no-trust vote in April 2022 was part of a US conspiracy to remove him. US authorities have repeatedly denied the accusation.
Khan initially faced an in-camera prison trial in the case. However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruled this month that such hearings were illegal and ordered an open trial with media access.
“Imran Khan has requested the summoning of the US embassy representative and also named a former general,” Babar Awan, a senior lawyer representing the ex-premier, told the media outside the jail.

His statement was widely believed to be a reference to former army chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, who has been accused by the former prime minister of bringing down his administration at the behest of the US.
Earlier, Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party issued a brief statement, saying the prison authorities had once again tried to restrict media presence despite similar concerns raised by its legal team during the last hearing.
“Unfortunately, media wasn't given access to today's hearing, too,” the PTI said. “Only 2-3 handpicked journalists were allowed in, in the name of [an] open court hearing. Of course, no public was allowed.”
According to local media, Khan stated his refusal to strike a deal with the government and state authorities for his release from prison.
He reiterated that his party would win the next general elections in the country, adding that his political rivals were still attempting to avoid the electoral process.
The court decided to indict Khan in the cipher case on December 12.

Topics: Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan arrested

Pakistani industrialists halt production to protest gas tariff hike, causing $48 million export loss

Pakistani industrialists halt production to protest gas tariff hike, causing $48 million export loss
Updated 46 min 2 sec ago
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Pakistani industrialists halt production to protest gas tariff hike, causing $48 million export loss

Pakistani industrialists halt production to protest gas tariff hike, causing $48 million export loss
  • The government raised gas tariffs between 100 to 130 percent ahead of the IMF review in November
  • Representative of a local industrial alliance says the decision is making Pakistani products uncompetitive
Updated 46 min 2 sec ago
KHURSHID AHMED   

KARACHI: Pakistani industrialists in the country’s commercial capital of Karachi switched off their production facilities on Monday to protest about 100 percent rise in gas tariffs, resulting in an estimated $48 million loss to the country’s export earnings.
The government announced a sharp increase in the price of natural gas for most households and industries in October this year to meet a key condition imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ahead of its first review under a $3 billion bailout program.
Gas tariffs for industry have been raised by about Rs2,600 per metric million British thermal unit (mmbtu), which industry leaders say should be brought down to Rs1,350.
“Nearly 80 to 90 percent industries in Sindh and Balochistan have shut down operations in response to a strike call given to protest the unviable gas tariffs,” Jawed Bilwani, Chief Coordinator of Karachi Industrial Alliance (KIA), told Arab News on Monday.
He said the industrial shutdown in the two provinces was likely to make the country suffer about $48 million losses due to a reduction in exports.
The KIA chief coordinator said the gas tariff hike, ranging from 100 to 130 percent, was driving industries to collapse.
“Some of the industries have been closed while others are on the verge of collapse,” Bilwani said, adding that over 100 percent tariff hike was making Pakistan’s “industrial production unviable and uncompetitive in the international market.”
“The government says this step [to raise gas tariffs] is to curtail circular debt,” he continued. “But neither our industries are responsible for this debt nor they are contributing to it.”
Local industrialists noted the government was charging them to pay subsidies to other sectors. They also pointed out that energy line losses were far higher when it came to domestic consumers than industries.
“Nowhere in the world, export-oriented industries are burdened with cross-subsidy to benefit other sectors,” Bilwani said. “But this is happening in Pakistan.”
Pakistan’s energy woes stem from its fast-depleting local gas reserves at a pace of five to seven percent annually, making the country rely on expensive imported fuel as a result.
Inadequate gas pricing during the tenure of previous governments dented the national exchequer and created a circular debt stock of Rs2.1 trillion without including interest, according to a note released by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) earlier this month.
Pakistan is 71.3 percent self-sufficient in natural gas production, with annual average daily consumption of 4,100 mmcfd and production of 2,923 mmcfd.
The country previously raised gas tariffs in January – its first increase in the last 2.5 years – that resulted in an increase of Rs461 billion during the last fiscal year.
OGRA says if the caretaker administration of the country does not proceed to increase prices and fund the RLNG diversion to domestic segment in the absence of subsidies, there shall be a further addition in circular debt of about Rs400 billion ($1.42 billion).
The caretaker commerce minister and ministry of energy did not respond to requests for comments until the filing of this story.

Topics: Pakistan gas

Indonesia advances early closure of coal plant under ADB’s energy transition effort involving Pakistan

Indonesia advances early closure of coal plant under ADB’s energy transition effort involving Pakistan
Updated 04 December 2023
Reuters
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Indonesia advances early closure of coal plant under ADB’s energy transition effort involving Pakistan

Indonesia advances early closure of coal plant under ADB’s energy transition effort involving Pakistan
  • The deal, announced during the COP28 climate talks in Dubai, aims to cut global carbon emissions
  • ADB says it wants to support two other countries with energy transition under the same plan soon
Updated 04 December 2023
Reuters

DUBAI: Indonesia and the Asian Development Bank have agreed a provisional deal with the owners of the Cirebon-1 coal-fired power plant to shutter it almost seven years earlier than planned, a principal energy specialist for climate change at the ADB told Reuters.

The deal, announced during the COP28 climate talks in Dubai on Sunday, is the first under the ADB’s Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) program, which aims to help countries cut their climate-damaging carbon emissions.

Supporting a $20 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership agreed last year that aims to bring forward the sector’s peak emissions date to 2030, the ADB hopes to replicate it across other countries in the region.

“If we don’t address these coal plants, we’re not going to meet our climate goals,” David Elzinga, ETM team leader, said on the sidelines of the conference.

“By doing this pilot transaction, we are learning what it takes to make this happen,” Elzinga said. “We’re very much shaping this as something we want to take to other countries.”

ADB also has active ETM programs in Kazakhstan, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Vietnam, and is considering transactions in two other countries, it said.

Under the non-binding framework deal, signed by ADB, Indonesian state-owned power utility company PT PLN, independent power producer PT Cirebon Electric Power (CEP) and the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA), a power purchase agreement for the 660 megawatt plant — a key supplier to the capital Jakarta — will be ended in December 2035 instead of a planned date of July 2042.

As it only opened in 2012, the plant, operated by CEP, could have been expected to run for 40 or more years, so retiring it in 2035 would avoid over 15 years of greenhouse gas emissions from the site, the ADB said.

The deal is subject to due diligence, including assessing its impact on the environment, the company’s workers and society more broadly, and the broader electricity system, but is expected to close in the first half of 2024.

Topics: Coal plant

Government reports macroeconomic recovery, links equity market surge to positive IMF review

Government reports macroeconomic recovery, links equity market surge to positive IMF review
Updated 04 December 2023
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Government reports macroeconomic recovery, links equity market surge to positive IMF review

Government reports macroeconomic recovery, links equity market surge to positive IMF review
  • The finance ministry highlights improved market confidence in its monthly outlook report for November
  • The report acknowledges high inflation but says it will gradually begin to improve in the coming weeks
Updated 04 December 2023
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s finance ministry attributed the recent surge in the country’s stock market to a successful International Monetary Fund (IMF) review carried out by a visiting delegation of the global lender against the backdrop of improving macroeconomic situation in a report released on Sunday.

Pakistan has faced tough financial circumstances in recent years amid rapid depreciation of its national currency and dwindling foreign exchange reserves. The country is still striving to increase the inflow of dollars by actively seeking foreign investment.

So far, however, it has only managed to rely on friendly nations, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and China, while seeking financial support from the IMF to shore up its economy.

The country’s finance ministry issued Monthly Economic Update & Outlook for November 2023, saying the economic situation was gradually improving due to the revival initiatives taken by the government.

“Positive economic signals and recovery indicators have triggered the market sentiment, propelling the KSE-100 index of PSX by 33% in November, surpassing the 58199-point mark for the first time in history,” the report said.

“The sustained monetary policy stance and successful IMF staff review in November drove the market confidence,” it added. “Owing to reforms in exchange companies and a reduction in illicit transactions, the exchange rate remains stable thus exerting a positive impact on overall economic activity.”

The finance ministry noted the stability in the exchange rate, ease in supply disruptions due to the removal of import restrictions and improved dollar liquidity had contributed to the overall economic upswing.

It recognized an increase in inflation to 26.9 percent on year-on-year basis in October 2023 as compared to 26.6 percent in October 2022, attributing the change major drivers including food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel prices.

“Keeping in view the crop cycle of perishables,” it added, “the supply pressures are expected to be relieved from the end of November and onwards. Moreover, the reduction of fuel prices by the government would help further easing out inflationary pressures.”

The finance ministry said the overall positive economic signals and recovery indicators were steering the improvement in the gross domestic product outlook for the fiscal year.

Topics: IMF #$100oil Pakistan

Pakistan aims to revitalize football after first-ever collaboration with Saudi Arabia

Pakistan aims to revitalize football after first-ever collaboration with Saudi Arabia
Updated 28 min 21 sec ago
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Pakistan aims to revitalize football after first-ever collaboration with Saudi Arabia

Pakistan aims to revitalize football after first-ever collaboration with Saudi Arabia
  • Pakistan Football Federation signed an MoU with Saudi counterpart in Riyadh last month to promote the sport
  • PFF also wants to arrange visits from international teams to ensure that fans get to watch high-quality matches
Updated 28 min 21 sec ago
Muhammad Ibrahim

LAHORE: Pakistan is looking to reshape the future of football in the country after reaching out to Saudi Arabia for first-ever international collaboration in the field, the top official of the FIFA-backed Normalization Committee (NC) currently running the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), said in a recent interview.

Last week, the PFF announced its chairman, Haroon Malik, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) in Riyadh to foster strong ties for the mutual benefit, promotion, growth and success of the sport in both countries.

Pakistan has faced many challenges in international football over the years, including multiple suspensions of the country’s domestic premier division in the last six years. The last one was in April 2021, when FIFA banned PFF due to “third-party interference” after a “hostile takeover” of the body’s headquarters in Lahore and the ousting of a FIFA representative by a rival group.

The international sports governing body restored PFF’s membership in June 2022.

“I think the benefit [of signing the MoU] is that SAFF considers Pakistan to be a brotherly country and they want to develop football across Asia and they are making sure that it helps to raise the standard,” Malik told Arab News on Friday.

The PFF official said the federation was working on next year’s calendar, which will include friendly matches with Saudi Arabia.

“We are very happy that it covers not only the men’s national team but it also applies to the women’s national team,” he added. “On the youth side, we hope that we will play some games, under 16, under 19.”

Football recently came into the spotlight in the cricket-dominated country after Pakistan got its first-ever qualification for the second round of FIFA qualifiers, edging out Cambodia after ending a 13-match losing streak that dated back to 2018.

The faceoff was attended by over 13,000 fans in Islamabad as the country hosted its first international match after eight years, sparking jubilant celebrations not just for the victory but a homecoming of international football too.

The 193rd-ranked Pakistan, however, has suffered two consecutive setbacks in the first two matches of the second round and is currently the lowest-ranked team in Group G, which includes Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Jordan.

‘Neutral venue’

Pakistan is scheduled to play its home matches of the FIFA qualifiers against Jordan and Saudi Arabia on March 21 and June 6, respectively, though the football federation appears to be facing challenges in hosting night matches against the two teams.

Asked about the situation, Malik said he was hopeful the PFF would be able to get floodlights installed under FIFA regulations by January.

“The [Pakistan vs Jordan] game on the 21st of March, I do not think can be played during the day,” he said, adding that his team was working with the government for requisite lighting to ensure they were in place for both matches.

“If not, we will have to consider a neutral venue,” he added.

‘PSL-like football league’

In a major boost for the sport, he said the PFF had been working on formalizing domestic football, promoting talent development through encouraging commercialization.

“If there is not enough commercial opportunity, the people, of course, will not choose [football] as a career option,” he maintained.

“We have All Pakistan Championship that is currently going on to find the best clubs that play in the country,” he said. “The second is to have a championship-style competition, something like the Pakistan Cricket League [Pakistan Super League].”

Discussing the national women’s team, the PFF chief said the federation was planning a football championship to establish a women’s league, to enable female footballers to display their talent and playing style.

The PFF, he noted, is also arranging visits from international teams to Pakistan, ensuring fans can enjoy high-quality matches.

Topics: Pakistan football Pakistan Football Federation #football Saudi Arabia Pakistan Saudi Ties FIFA-backed Normalization Committee FIFA Arab News Pakistan

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