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summons Imran NINE KILLED, 29 INJURED IN MASTUNG BLAST ECP Khan, Nawaz Sharif on 5 in cases related TARGETING POLICE GUARDING POLIO TEAM Nov to electoral conduct Saturday, 2 November, 2024 I | 29 Rabi ul Sani, 1446
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Dead include five schoolchildren aged between five to 10 years: DPO
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QUETTA/ISLAMABAD
Blast carried out with an IED attached to bike that was detonated near police mobile
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PM, Acting President CM Bugti condemn blast, calling targeting schoolchildren as ‘inhumane’
STAFF REPORT
INE people, including five children, were killed in a bomb blast targeting a police van guarding polio vaccinators near a girls’ school in Mastung city on Friday, the police and administration confirmed. “The blast left 29 others injured,” informed Mastung District Police Officer (DPO) Miandad Umrani and added that the blast occurred near a police van at the Civil Hospital Chowk. According to the DPO, explosive material was placed in a motorcycle and was detonated via remote control. The deceased children were aged between five and 10 years, DPO Umrani further said. The DPO said that a police van and several auto-rickshaws were damaged as a result of the bomb. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti condemned the blast, lamenting that terrorists had now started targeting innocent children along with poor labourers. State broadcaster PTV News quoted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as saying that the explosion occurred at a “girls’ high school”, while another post by the outlet said the incident occurred “near Girls’ High School Chowk”. On the other hand, Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai said that the
attack took place at around 8:35am near the Mastung Civil Hospital, a few meters away from the hospital. Bazai said that initially seven people, including five schoolchildren, were killed while 17 others sustained injuries in the blast. He added that the blast was apparently carried out with the help of an improvised explosive device (IED) attached to a motorcycle that was detonated near a police mobile. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast. Later in the day, Mastung Deputy Commissioner Capt (r) Baz Muhammad Marri said that the death toll from the Mastung blast had risen to nine. “Among the deceased are five girls,
one boy, one police officer, and two other civilians,” he said. “The bodies have been transferred to Civil Hospital Mastung, Nawab Ghaus Bakhsh Memorial Hospital, and Civil Hospital Quetta, and were handed over to the families after necessary procedures.” Meanwhile, Dr Wasim Baig, the spokesman of the provincial health department, said that reports from different hospitals suggested a total of 29 people sustained injuries in the blast. The deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner were overseeing the situation at the hospitals, Bazai said. He highlighted that the police have cordoned off the area to prevent any further incidents.
In Doha, PM touts Pakistan as destination for foreign investment
DOHA STAFF REPORT
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday invited Qatari businessmen to invest in Pakistan’s energy, infrastructure, and finance sectors during a meeting with the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA). Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended the invitation to the QBA delegation during a meeting. The QBA delegation, led by Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al-Thani, in-
cluded prominent figures from Qatar’s business community, each representing influential sectors within the country’s economy. Key attendees comprised Vice Chairman & CEO of Al Mana Group Saod Bin Omar Bin Hamad Al-Mana; Executive Director of Mannai Corporation Khalid Ahmed Al Mannai; Chairman MENA & Chief Country Officer of Deutsche Bank Salah Mohammed Jaidah; and CEO of Blue Salon Nabil Abu Issa, among others. This meeting in
Doha was part of his two-day official visit to Qatar, aimed at strengthening economic ties and exploring new avenues for collaboration. During the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif highlighted numerous investment opportunities, emphasizing the attractiveness of Pakistan as a destination for foreign investment. “Delegates expressed interest in Pakistan’s economic landscape and, in particular, in upcoming projects in energy, technology, and infrastructure development,” stated an official release from Sharif’s office. Both sides discussed potential collaborations that could drive job creation, innovation, and sustainable development in their respective countries. The QBA members responded positively to the invitation, indicating a keen interest in expanding their investments in Pakistan’s sectors. The meeting also underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation to enhance economic stability and growth in the region.
ECC greenlights Rs2.94b for enhanced e-passport services PROFIT
MONITORING DESK
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved a grant of Rs2.94 billion on Friday for the acquisition of two e-passport personalisation systems and six desktop personalisation machines. This investment aims to ensure the “uninterrupted and smooth” operation of the Director General Immigration & Passports,
according to a statement from the Finance Division. Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, chaired the ECC meeting where the Technical Supplementary Grant proposed by the Ministry of Interior received approval. This decision follows the recent policy change that allows citizens to apply for passports at any district, rather than being restricted
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to the Regional Passport Office (RPO) corresponding to their permanent or temporary address as indicated on their Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC). In May, 24/7 services were introduced at passport offices in Karachi and Lahore to ease the workload and reduce applicant wait times. The introduction of these new systems is anticipated to further enhance operations within the passport department.
‘Polio team not targeted’ Some media outlets reported that a polio team was the target of the attack. “Terrorists targeted our police van which was guarding a polio team in the Civil Hospital Chowk area,” Rahmatullah, a local police officer, told Anadolu Agency over the phone. He added that members of the vaccination team remained unhurt, however, one policeman was killed and four others were injured in the attack. Reuters, quoting the same official, also reported that a police van on its way to pick up a polio team was targeted, adding that as a result of the attack, one policeman was killed while 23 others were injured. Deputy Commissioner Mastung Marri, however, refuted the claims. “Terrorists attacked a police van near Civil Hospital, where the police mobile was patrolling when the attack occurred,” he said. “Security has been deployed at various locations in Mastung to protect polio teams, but the police van targeted was not assigned to polio team security.” ‘Inhumane’ act CM Bugti said terrorists had now “targeted innocent children along with poor labourers”, apparently referring to a recent attack that killed five security guards in Panjgur. In a statement on X, the chief minister condemned the blast, saying it was “inhumane”.
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned to two former Prime Ministers – Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan on November 5, in cases related to electoral conduct. According to the ECP’s case list released on Friday, hearings for the matters concerning the two political figures are set for November 5. PML-N president Nawaz Sharif submitted a reference to the National Assembly speaker ten days ago against MNA Adil Bazai for failing to vote the 26th Constitutional Amendment. Following the reference, NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq wrote a letter to the ECP, seeking disqualification of MNA Bazai, declaring his seat vacant under Article 63-A, which pertains to the defection clause. According the reference, Bazai was absent from the session and did not cast his vote during the voting for 26 constitutional amendments on Oct 21. He had initially joined the PML-N before later switching to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. Acting on the plea of Ayaz Sadiq, the ECP issued a formal notice to Nawaz Sharif, scheduling a hearing on November 5 to address his petition. The ECP also summoned the PTI founder in a contempt case. This case involves allegations of disrespect and disregard for the ECP’s authority. Earlier Oct 23, the ECP sought a response from MNA Adil Bazai on a disqualification petition filed against him for not voting in favour of budget and the 26th constitutional amendment. A three-member ECP bench, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja, heard the reference filed by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif seeking the disqualification of MNA Bazai. Adil Bazai and PML-N lawyers appeared before the Election Commission, where the Chief Election Commissioner asked about Bazai’s whereabouts. His brother responded that they currently have no information on his location. The ECP instructed the concerned party to provide a copy of the reference to Adil Bazai’s lawyer and directed Bazai to submit his response by November 5.
LHC declares Punjab’s ban on transfers, postings as unlawful LAHORE
STAFF REPORT
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday struck down the notification banning the transfers and postings of government employees in Punjab. On March 1, the incumbent Punjab government, through a notification, banned the transfers and postings of the employees. LHC’s Justice Asim Hafeez issued an eight-page verdict, declaring the Punjab government’s decision to ban the transfers and postings of government employees
as unlawful. The ruling emphasized that civil servants and bureaucracy were subordinated, thus elevating the chief minister’s authority, which disrupted the administrative balance of checks and balances. The LHC bench observed that an overreach of executive power disturbs this balance and that misinterpretation of constitutional amendments raised questions regarding the admissibility of the petitions before constitutional benches. The court clarified that any decisions regarding appointments and transfers taken between the notification and
the court’s verdict will remain effective.On March 1, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif imposed a ban on postings and transfers in the province, till further orders. Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz Orders to Complete Rawalpindi Ring Road by December In case of any posting/transfer, which is required to be made on extreme hardship, compassionate or administrative grounds, prior approval would be sought from the Chief Minister through a summary containing details of tenure of the officer and vacancy position, etc.
came during a hearing of a land dispute case by a two-member bench. During the session, the petitioner’s lawyer requested a written directive from the court, suggesting that they be advised to approach the relevant forum. In response, Chief Justice Afridi explained that while hearing an appeal against objections raised by the Registrar’s Office, he observed that a single statement from the Supreme Court could result
in cases extending unnecessarily. He emphasised that no such observation would be made in his rulings that could lead to further litigation at lower levels. Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan added that petitioners have the option to approach the relevant forum without a written directive from the court. Following this, the court denied the request for an observation to approach an alternative forum.
CJP vows to avoid observations that could lead to cases extending unnecessarily ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi on Friday assured that he would avoid any observations in his rulings that might lead to the reopening of cases, asserting that even a single line in a Supreme Court order can sometimes lead cases to be prolonged for up to 18 years. Chief Justice Afridi’s remarks
NEPRA reveals ‘net increase’ in November energy bills. What does this mean for consumers? PROFIT
MUAZAM ALI TAHIR
In a recent NEPRA hearing for September’s fuel cost adjustments (FCA), a case officer revealed a potential increase of ‘15 paisa per unit’ in the energy tariffs for XW-Wapda Distribution Companies (Discos) as a result of a negative 71 paisa FCA. If approved, this could lead to higher electricity bills for consumers in November, and it would mean a month-on-month increased FCA of 17.4%, during which electricity generation fell by 5.2%. And a year-on-year decrease of 277.5% from last September, a period that saw a 6.4% decline in electricity generated. While fuel prices globally have remained relatively stable compared to last year, this expected rise in energy tariff for consumers can be attributed to underlying
structural issues in the FCA system, as well as the country’s lack of diversification of power sources. How is the total tariff calculated? The total tariff consumers pay consists of three main components: the base tariff, the FCA, and the QTA. The sum of these represents the electricity bills shifted to consumers. While consumers can partially manage costs by adjusting their electricity usage to control the base tariff, they have no control over fluctuations in FCA and QTA. These adjustments are driven by factors outside their reach, making electricity bills unpredictable and harder to budget for as these costs shift with fuel prices, operational inefficiencies, and regulatory adjustments. FCA = Actual Fuel Cost – Reference Fuel Cost The FCA is the difference between actual fuel costs and NEPRA’s reference fuel costs. According to NEPRA, the actual increase or
decrease in fuel cost prices has to be adjusted in ‘customers’ monthly bills’ in the form of FCA. As such, the impact of September FCA will be seen in electricity bills for the month of November and this mechanism is meant to safeguard consumers from excessive rates, despite increased reliance on Hydropower which has no fuel cost. Inefficiencies in Pakistani power plants account for a great deal of fuel price fluctuations, as it also accounts for fuel mix changes and fluctuating operational and maintenance costs which are reflected in these monthly adjustments. Even transmission and distribution losses, which are typically accounted for in QTA’s, can impact fuel costs where inefficiencies in fuel usage impacts overall fuel requirement. How is QTA different? While similar in practice to FCA, as it
also impacts the total tariff, QTA’s are not affected by fuel costs, and instead account for changes in capacity payments, transmission losses, and variations in fuel prices that affect power purchasing. The recent NEPRA hearing emphasized the potential QTA increase in Q1 of this fiscal year for Rs40-45 billion. However it was also mentioned that the next QTA will be offset as tariffs for Nuclear power plants have been revised and will result in a total negative QTA of Rs57 billion. Provided that FCA remains steady, this negative QTA can also offset the net increase from FCA, potentially resulting in a net decrease in December, January and February electricity bills which will include QTA’s for Q1 of the current fiscal year. So how does the proposed increase in FCA compare with previous figures? The figures for this year indicate in-
creased volatility as FCA fluctuated from +Rs7.1 in January 2024 to -Rs0.9 (0.86 rounded up to the nearest 1dp) in August, with September’s FCA increase creating another upward trajectory, as it moved to -Rs0.71. The difference between August’s FCA and September’s expected FCA of -0.71 shows a net increase of Rs 0.15 and indicates a shift of increased costs to consumers, which in this case are perceived as fuel cost fluctuations. The above graph highlights a troubling trend: while international fuel costs have dropped, FCAs for Pakistani consumers have not consistently decreased, exposing them to unpredictable spikes in electricity bills. This disconnect reveals underlying structural issues, inefficiencies within Pakistan’s power plants, a heavy reliance on costly backup sources like LNG and coal, and limited energy diversification, that force consumers to bear the brunt of rising tariffs.