‘Governance Failures Erode Investor Confidence’: PM’s Privatisation Adviser

Muhammad-Ali

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali has said that persistent governance failures — not a shortage of investment opportunities — are the key reason investor confidence in Pakistan remains weak. Speaking on “Privatisation and Private Sector Participation” on the final day of the Pakistan Business Council’s economic dialogue on Thursday, Mr Ali, who also heads the Privatisation Commission, stressed that Pakistan must ensure legal consistency, market-driven decision-making, and stronger regulatory capacity to attract investors. He noted that although regulator appointments follow formal processes, these systems still…

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Pakistan’s Fuel Oil Exports Hit Record High in 2025 as Domestic Demand Declines

New-Oil-1

SINGAPORE: Pakistan’s fuel oil exports surged to a historic high in 2025, driven by rising domestic taxes and a growing shift by power producers toward cleaner and cheaper energy alternatives, industry sources reported. Fresh shipping data from Kpler and LSEG shows Pakistan’s annual fuel oil exports have already exceeded 1.4 million tonnes (about 8.9 million barrels), marking a 16% increase over full-year 2024 exports. LSEG data places 2025 exports at 1.33 million tonnes so far, up from 1.11 million tonnes last year — the highest level ever recorded. Most cargoes…

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Govt Moves to Ease Regulatory Hurdles for Reko Diq, Saindak Operations: Petroleum Minister

Reko-Diq

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik announced on Thursday that the government is working to streamline conditions for companies operating the Reko Diq and Saindak mining projects, enabling them to function more effectively in remote and infrastructure-deficient regions. Speaking at a Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) session titled “Unlocking Pakistan’s Untapped Mining Resources for National Wealth,” the minister said a key challenge is that mineral resources fall under provincial jurisdiction. This has resulted in multiple and often conflicting sets of laws, rules, and licensing frameworks that investors must navigate across…

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Furnace Oil Power Costs Soar to Rs33/Unit as Nepra Probes Underutilised LNG Plants

New-NEPRA

ISLAMABAD: The government informed the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday that it operated furnace oil-based power plants at a fuel cost of Rs33 per unit in October — significantly higher than the Rs21 per unit cost of available but underutilised LNG-based plants — due to “lower LNG allocation.” At a public hearing, the Power Division team led by Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) CEO Rehan Akhtar confirmed that over 40 million units were generated on furnace oil to cover a shortfall triggered by the forced outage of…

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Pakistan actively promoting clean, green energy: Awais Leghari

Awais-Leghari

ISLAMABAD, Nov 27 (APP):Federal Minister for Energy Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari has said that Pakistan was actively promoting clean and green energy, with major initiatives under way to expand renewable energy across the country. He expressed these views during the panel discussion at Pakistan Business Council’s 2025 Dialogue on the Economy, held at a local hotel here on Thursday. The federal minister said that Pakistan’s energy sector offers vast opportunities and that, for the first time, comprehensive long-term planning has been undertaken to guide future reforms. He noted that efforts…

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