Category: Recent Post

The Cabinet Committee on Privatization (CCoP) is likely to pave way for outsourcing the management of power distribution companies (Discos) in its meeting scheduled for today at 12 noon. The CCoP will take up a two-point agenda. It will discuss appointing experts from the private sector in the management of distribution companies and will also discuss selling off the government’s share in the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) and the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL). The cabinet body on March 19 expressed anger over lack of progress on the privatisation…

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The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) recommended the government to increase the price of petroleum products by Rs3.90 per liter, the government decided to maintain the prices, despite rising international prices. This has been done primarily by lowering the levy. The government has reduced the levy on petrol from Rs6.39 per liter to Rs4.74 per liter. Petroleum development levy is a surcharge and set as an absolute rupee amount per liter. It is used as an instrument to bring about stability in the price of petrol by offsetting the…

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday gave a go-ahead for the creation of a dedicated security force for petroleum exploration on the pattern of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) security arrangement in order to offer lucrative incentives for enhanced production of domestic oil and gas resources. While presiding over a meeting of the energy sector, the prime minister also approved a proposal of the Petroleum Division to shift the existing exploration and development policy from ‘approval regime’ to ‘information regime’ providing greater freedom to oil and gas companies in operations…

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PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved a new financial model for the Pakhtunkhwa Hydel Development Organisation (Pedo) allowing the public sector entity to engage private lenders to finance its future projects instead of relying on government funding. An official familiar with the matter told Dawn that the Pedo Policy Board approved the new financial model on May 7 after thorough overview. He said the initiative would provide the organisation with financial independence and take effect in the next fiscal. “Under this new model, the Pedo won’t ask the provincial government to…

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The recent blockage of the Suez Canal by the Ever Given tanker demonstrated the vulnerability of maritime chokepoints. The importance of maritime lanes to global trade makes them highly susceptible to interference and sabotage by terrorist organizations and rogue states. Global cooperation is essential to prevent such threats. The Ever Given, the massive tanker that recently blocked the Suez Canal for a few days, sharply illustrated the vulnerability of international maritime trading routes to disruption, both accidental and deliberate. Several chokepoints along essential maritime routes are ripe targets for…

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