SEnATE coMMITTEE ordErS AcTIon AgAInST gAS ThEFT In SIndh, BALochISTAn

KARACHI

Staff RepoRt

Aparliamentary panel was informed on Thursday to consider over 385 cases that were registered against all types of pipeline crimes/violations. The committee was informed that these cases were registered against all types of pipeline crimes/violations out of which 26 convictions were secured and 56 accused were fined millions of rupees. To-date there have been no convictions against any PARCO staff.

The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum was convened at Parliament House, and presided over by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir. Members present included Senator Engr. Rukhsana

Zuberi, Senator Saadia Abbasi, Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Shamim Afridi, Senator Saifullah Abro and senior officers from Ministry of Energy (petroleum division), OGDCL and OGRA along with all concerned.

Matters discussed included gas theft from the main pipeline, especially in Sindh; Gas load shedding in Sindh; Gas loadshedding in Balochistan and the nonestablishment of LPG stations in Panjgur; PSO not chartering PNSC Fleet for POL, and finally the 11 Oil and Gas discoveries by OGDCL in the past year.

On the matter of gas load shedding in SIndh, the committee took strict notice of the fact that numerous industries were involved in theft by installing large compressors to divert gas supply towards them. The ommittee demanded details of companies and for action taken against them.

Regarding gas load shedding in Balochistan and non-establishment of LPG stations in Panjgur, the committee raised concerns regarding usurpation of rights of smaller provinces and asserted that the issue must be addressed. The matter of closure of gas supply to gas stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was taken up as well and the committee was informed that this was done to ensure gas supply to domestic consumers. Members recommended that the matter must be taken up with the prime minister.

On the matter of slab rate for Balochistan, Qadir stressed the need to ensure that the people must be facilitated and that these rates are not to be applied to bills in Balochistan in the three severe cold weather months as they contend with harsh

Peshawar suicide bomber ‘was in police uniform’, reveals KP police chief

PESHAWAR Staff RepoRt

The suicide bomber who killed more than 80 police officers at a mosque inside a sensitive compound in Peshawar earlier this week entered wearing a uniform and helmet, the chief of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police, Moazzam Jah Ansari, said Thursday.

On January 30, a suicide attacker detonated a bomb at the mosque, killing 101 people and injuring many others. The proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack, but later distanced themselves from it. The bomber struck as hundreds of worshippers gathered for noon prayers in a mosque that was purpose-built for the police and their families living in a highly fortified zone.

“Those on duty didn’t check him because he was in a police uniform… It was a security lapse,” Ansari told a news conference. Authorities are investigating how a major breach could happen in one of the most sensitive areas in the city, which houses the intelligence and counter-terrorism bureaus.

Ansari revealed the police have made progress in their investigation, announcing the police have obtained CCTV footage of his movements and traced the motorcycle used in the attack. In CCTV images, the suspect is shown arriving at the gates on a motorcycle before walking through a security checkpoint and asking officers where the mosque was located. He also confirmed that the attacker’s head was recovered from the scene of the bombing. Ansari said the attacker was not a lone wolf, but part of a larger network, and the police are closing in on the network behind the attack.

He also revealed that 10-12 kilogrammes of trinitrotoluene (TNT) was used in the blast and that the combination of the explosive and the aging building structure led to the high death toll.

INTERNAL ASSISTANCE: The police are also investigating how a suicide bomber reached a mosque inside the highly fortified compound, and believe the attacker may have had “internal assistance”.

“We have found some excellent clues, and based on these clues we have made some major arrests,” Peshawar Police Chief Ijaz Khan told Reuters. “We can’t rule out internal assistance but since the investigation is still in progress, I will not be able to share more details.”

The incident was the deadliest in a decade to hit Peshawar, a city prone to militant violence near the Afghan border. It has rattled the force, prompting unprecedented protests by police personnel across the province. “How long will this injustice against us last?” one of the protesters, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, told reporters. Another group of policemen in Peshawar chanted: “We want peace.”

“Our comrades were martyred in this uniform, but the bomber made it worthless for us,” Amanullah Khan, a police officer on duty at a checkpoint in Peshawar, wearing a bulletproof jacket and a helmet with a Kalashnikov in his hands, told AFP. “Now I will doubt the uniformed officials as well as other people, which is very sad and which has created a distrust.”

‘NOT TRAINED TO FIGHT A WAR’: Bickering politicians who are months away from contesting a general election amid a severe economic crisis have traded blame for the deteriorating security situation.

“Multiple institutions with no policy have no ability to take a decision on launching a decisive offensive against the militant groups. We need empowered political leadership,” security analyst Saad Muhammad told AFP. “Our current police force is not trained to fight a war,” he added. Police said they have a “fair idea” about the bomber’s identity, after matching his head with security footage.

UNHCR launches one-off cash assistance scheme for 1.3m Afghan refugees

ISLAMABAD Staff RepoRt

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, on Thursday launched a one-time cash assistance scheme for some 1.3 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan affected by devastating 2022 floods as well as the prevailing economic situation. The assistance is being provided, in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan, to reach refugees who are not eligible to access social safety nets available to Pakistani citizens. The initiative is modelled on the Government’s emergency cash programme for vulnerable Pakistani families affected by floods. Registered Afghan refugees will receive up to Rs25,000, adjusted

Turkiye keen to boost bilateral trade with Pakistan: Envoy

SIALKOT: Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye to Pakistan Mehmet Pacaci said on Thursday that his country was keen to boost mutual trade with Pakistan, and pledged to help remove all hurdles in this regard. He was addressing a meeting of Sialkot exporters at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) here.SCCI President Abdul Ghafoor Malik, Senior Vice President (SVP) Wahub Jahangir, Vice President Amer Majeed Sheikh and Sialkot business community representatives were also present. The ambassador stressed that Turkiye was making all efforts for enhancing and strengthening its economic ties with Pakistan. He said that the two brotherly countries had signed a trade agreement, allowing both countries in principle greater access to each other’s markets to increase the volume of trade. Staff RepoRt depending on the family size.

The Minister for State and Frontier Regions (SAFRON), Muhammad Talha Mahmood, and Habib Bank Limited’s Chief Representative, Mohammad Ali Syed launched the scheme on with UNHCR’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr Indrika Ratwatte.

‘Amend to Jail Manual’: Baloch female inmate wins release after passing Balochi Literature exam

QUETTA: Following the inclusion of the Balochi and Brahvi Literature in the Jail Manual of the Balochistan Prisons, the first Baloch woman inmate has been released. “Rabia Kanwal who passed the Balochi Literature exam has been released,” Parliamentary Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi said on Thursday. Talking to APP, she said the implementation of the laws to reduce imprisonment through the Balochi literature test in the education manual of Balochistan prison rules has initiated. Rabia Kanwal is the first female prisoner who passed the Balochi language test in the prison manual and benefited from the facility of reduction of punishment under the law. Staff RepoRt weather. He said that all efforts must be made to protect the poor man from increase in gas rates as recommended by the IMF.

Hearing out the stakeholders on the issue of PSO’s reluctance to charter PNSC Fleet for POL, Qadir stressed that in view of the current financial crisis the country faces, it is essential that preference be given to local companies. This, he added, would ensure drainage of dollars and growth of local businesses and enterprises. He recommended that PSO’s need to charter the PNSC fleet for import of high Speed diesel and Mogas products in Pakistan. Such a move will be helpful in preserving around $ 200 million per year as mode of payment to PNSC will be made in local currency.

Chairman PNSC also assured PSO of quality service with competitive rates.

While sharing details of Oil and Gas discoveries made by OGDCL with the Committee, it was informed that during the past year a total of 11 Oil and Gas discoveries were made in Pakistan. Reviewing the list, Qadir stressed the need to commence gas/crude oil production to the system at the earliest at the sites. He also stressed the need for efforts to activate old discoveries so that the impending energy crisis may be tackled effectively by tapping these potential reserves. He also issued a directive to SSGC and SNGPL to tackle the issue of low gas pressure and interruption particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtukhwa being gas producing provinces. He directed that the matter of leakage and pilferage need to be talked about on a priority basis and facilitate people with timely and enough gas supply so that their grievances are addressed.