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PAKISTAN, SAUDI ARABIA REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO ACCELERATE INITIAL PHASE OF $5BN INVESTMENT PACKAGE
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Tuesday, 9 April, 2024 I 29 Ramazan, 1445
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PM SHARIF MEETS WITH SAUDI CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN AND INVITES HIM TO VISIT PAKISTAN
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Rs 20.00 | Vol XIV No 282 I 8 Pages I Islamabad Edition
TWO SIDES STRESSED FOR START OF DIALOGUE BETWEEN PAKISTAN, INDIA TO RESOLVE OUTSTANDING ISSUES
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AKISTAN and Saudi Arabia reaffirmed their commitment to expediting the first phase of the previously discussed investment package worth $5 billion. According to the state-run news agency, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif called on Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman on Sunday at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah. The discussions between the two leaders centered on fortifying the fraternal relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and exploring avenues for enhanced collaboration across various sectors. Emphasis was laid on the Kingdom’s supportive role in Pakistan’s economy and the mutual desire to strengthen trade and investment ties, said the joint statement issued after the meeting. Two sides discussed the need for advanc-
ing the peace process in accordance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly as well as the Arab Peace Initiative aimed at finding a just and comprehensive solution, to establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. The two sides also stressed the importance of dialogue between Pakistan and India to resolve the outstanding issues between the two countries, especially the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to ensure peace and stability in the region. The Crown Prince congratulated Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on assuming the office and expressed warm wishes for his tenure. Prime Minister Shehbaz also conveyed gratitude for the Kingdom’s steadfast support and hospitality and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to bolstering bilateral ties and economic cooperation. PM Shehbaz invited the Crown Prince to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at the earliest convenience which he accepted.
NEPRA jacks up power tariff by Rs 4.92 per unit g
POWER REGULATOR INCREASES ELECTRICITY RATES ON ACCOUNT OF VARIATIONS IN FUEL CHARGES FOR FEBRUARY 2024 PROFIT
AHMAD AHMADANI
President Zardari to address joint parliament on April 16 ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
President Asif Ali Zardari is due to deliver an address to the joint session of the parliament on April 16, marking the commencement of the parliamentary year following the general elections. The joint session is scheduled for Tuesday, April 16th, at 4:00 PM, as announced by a press statement from the President House. This address falls under the constitutional provision outlined in Article 56(3), which mandates that “At the commencement of the first session after each general election to the National Assembly and at the commencement of the first session of each year, the President shall address both Houses assembled together and inform the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) of the causes of its summons.” President Zardari has summoned the joint parliamentary session exercising the authority vested in him under Articles 54(1) and 56(3) of the Constitution.
Inflation-hit masses would face an additional burden as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Monday jacked up the electricity tariff by Rs 4.9213 per kilowatt hour (kWh) on account of variations in the fuel charges for February 2024. “The authority, after incorporating the aforementioned adjustments, has reviewed and assessed a National Average Uniform increase of Rs 4.9213/kWh in the applicable tariff for DISCOs on account of variations in the fuel charges for February 2024,” said NEPRA’s decision on FCA of February 2024. NEPRA, in a notification issued here, said that this adjustment shall apply to all the consumer categories except Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS), lifeline consumers, and consumers of the K-Electric. This adjustment shall be shown separately in the consumer’s bills based on units billed to the consumers in February 2024. While affecting the Fuel Adjustment Charges, the concerned DISCOs shall keep in view and strictly comply with orders of the courts notwithstanding this order, said NEPRA’s notification The power regulator, through its decision, also directed the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) to develop a proper mechanism for Inter DISCOs settlement of FCA worked for each DISCO and the FCA charged from consumers after consultation with distribution companies, to ensure proper accounting of energy and cost of each DISCO as per their basket. Earlier, the CPPA, on the proposal of distribution companies (DISCOs), requested the NEPRA to increase the electricity price by Rs 4.9917/unit under the FCA of Febru-
ary 2024. Following this request, the NEPRA called a public hearing on March 28, 2024. The CPPA, in its application, claimed that the total electricity generated with various fuels in February 2024 was recorded a 7,130 GWh, at Rs 8,6950 per unit. The total cost of energy was Rs 61,996 million. The power generation with the hydel source was 1,766 GWh (gigawatt per hour) constituting 24.77 percent with zero cost of power generation while power production with coal-fired power plants was 1,291 GWh (local + imported coal: 994+ 135 GWh) which was 15.83 percent and the total power generated for Rs 16827 million (Rs 34.4061/unit). Similarly, the power generation from gas-based power plants was 787 GWh, 11.04 percent of the total generation, totaling Rs12.3794 per unit and the generation from Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) was 1,450 GWh, which was 20.33 percent
of total generation, at Rs 22.0262 per unit. Likewise, power production from bagasse was recorded at 101 GWh, the price of which has been calculated at Rs 5.9822 per unit. The electricity generated from wind was recorded at 108 GWh, 1.51 percent of total generation and solar at 90 GWh, 1.26 percent of the total generation in February 2024. Moreover, electricity generation from nuclear sources was 1,660 GWh which came out at Rs1.3213 per unit, 23.29 percent of the total generation, and electricity imported from Iran was 26 GWh amounted to Rs 27.1968 per unit, 0.36 per cent of the total power generation in the said month of February 2024. It is also learnt from the data submitted by the CCPA with NEPRA that net electricity delivered to DISCOs in February 2024 was 6,876 GWh (96.43pc) at a rate of Rs 9.4254 per unit, the total price of which was Rs 64,804 million.
CTD ‘making headway’ in investigation of threat letters to judges ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) is making significant strides in uncovering the mystery behind threatening letters sent to judges of the Supreme Court and various high courts. Following the receipt of a forensic report analyzing the handwriting in the letters, key developments have emerged in the investigation. The department has matched the letters addressed to judges of the Supreme Court, Islamabad, and Lahore High Courts. Forensic analysis indicates that all three sets of letters were authored by the same individual, identified as “Resham,” “Reshaman,” and “Gulshad Khatun,” and were dispatched through the same post office. Sources within CTD disclosed that a single mastermind is responsible for sending these threatening letters, further noting that the arsenic found in the letters was purchased by the same individual. Progress is being made in tracing the origin of the arsenic purchase. The identification process using CCTV footage near post boxes is ongoing, as investigators continue to piece together crucial evidence. Since April 2, when the Supreme Court initiated suo motu proceedings over allegations against spy agencies, several judges, including Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, have received suspicious anthrax-laced letters. This alarming trend prompted a thorough police investigation and led to the assignment of CTD to identify the culprit.
Senate meets today to elect new Chairman, deputy ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
President Asif Ali Zardari has called for a session of the upper house of Parliament on April 9th, 2024, for the swearing-in of newly-elected members and the election of the Senate chairman and deputy chairman. This move comes despite opposition from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), citing an “incomplete house”. According to an announcement by the President House late Sunday night, “In exercise of the powers conferred by Clause (1) of Article 54 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari has summoned the Senate to meet in the Parliament House, Islamabad on Tuesday, the 9th April 2024 at 09:00 am.” In the Senate session, newly-elected senators will take oath and an election for the constitutional post of chairman Senate and deputy chairman Senate will be held. The presiding officer nominated by the prime minister will administer the oath to the newly-elected senators. Members elected in the by-elections of the Senate on vacant seats
will also be administered the oath. In the house of 96 members, 85 senators will take oath as the elections on 11 seats of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were postponed by the Election Commission of Pakistan. The Senate elections were held last week except in KP, where the polls were postponed as the provincial Assembly remained incomplete following the non-administration of oath to members elected on the reserved seats. With regards to the elections for top posts in the Senate, the PPP has nominated former prime minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani for the chairman Senate slot, while PML-N has not nominated anyone for the post of deputy chairman. The PML-N is mulling a woman lawmaker on the post and an announcement in this regard is expected today. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, PTI, has not nominated its candidate for the post of chairman Senate to challenge the joint candidate of the ruling coalition. PARTY POSITION: Gilani — the nominee for the post of chairman Senate — has the support of 24 PPP senators, 19 of PMLN, four of BAP, three senators of ANP, three
independents and one senator of the National Party, taking the total tally to 54. If three MQM-Pakistan senators and five JUIF senators also support Gilani, then the
tally of votes will be 62, which suggests that the ruling coalition nominee will be in a comfortable position to be elected. On the other hand, PTI has the support
of 20 senators, one each from BNP and PML-Q, which brings the total to 22. If the JUI-F chooses to sit with the opposition, then it would have a strength of 27 members.
ISLAMABAD
vowed that PTI would not tolerate the insult of the upper house to select the unelected persons on the constitutional positions of the state from the incomplete Electoral College. PTI Spokesperson made it clear that electing Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Senate in absence of senators from KhyberPakhtunkhwa (KP) would be tantamount to murder of democratic values and traditions. He lamented that the process of violation of the constitution and democratic principles by the unconstitutional government of form-47 continued sans any interval. PTI spokesperson said that after the postponing the Senate election in KP, the election of the Chairman and Deputy Chair-
man of the Senate was a continuation of the conspiracy to ambush the public mandate. He went on to say that keeping KP like important federating unit out of the electoral process was part of the nefarious and shameful attempts of a biased group to sow the seed to provincial discard and hatred. PTI spokesperson vowed that they would not accept the Chairman and Deputy Chairman ‘selected’ from an incomplete house come what may. He urged that the court should take notice of the ongoing attempts to deviate from the constitution to elect Chairman and Deputy Chairman in absence of KP Senators and issued strict orders to defer the polls until the Upper House was completed.
PTI decides to boycott ‘unconstitutional’ Senate Chairman, deputy election STAFF REPORT
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Monday took a strong exception to the announcement of the elections for the slots of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of senate from an incomplete Electoral College and decided to boycott the unconstitutional polls, demanding the court to postpone the polls until the house was completed. PTI Spokesperson said that the elections for the positions of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Senate without the representations from all federating units was unconstitutional and unacceptable. He