PAKISTAN STANDS ‘READY, HONOURED’ TO HOST TALKS TO DE-ESCAL ATE MIDDLE EAST TENSIONS: PM
g PREMIER SHEHBAZ OFFERS ISL AMABAD AS NEUTRAL VENUE FOR US-IRAN TALKS, SAYING PAKISTAN FULLY BACKS EFFORTS TO END MIDDLE EAST WAR
FURTHER REGIONAL DESTABILIS ATION
g FO URGES MEDIA TO AWAIT OFFICIAL
ISLAMABAD
s
Pg BACK- CHANNEL DIPLOMACY BY PAKISTAN, TURKIYE, AND EGYPT SECURES PAUSE ON US STRIKES
g INDIRECT COMMUNIC ATIONS FOCUS ON STRAIT OF HORMUZ, BROADER SETTLEMENT
german, turkiye leaders slam uS -israeli war on iran as breach of intl law, ‘netanyahu’s
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ISLAMABAD
s a l e e m j a d o o n
ISLAMABAD s ta f f r e p o r t
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday continued his diplomatic overtures and held separate meeting with the ambassadors of China and the United Kingdom to discuss the regional situation and muster support for efforts to resolve the conflict between Iran and the United States, according to the Foreign Office According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) British High Commissioner Jane Marriott called on DPM/FM Ishaq Dar on Tuesday and discussed the evolving regional situation During the discussion FM Dar underscored that diplomacy and dialogue remain the only viable path forward, emphasizing the urgent need for early resolution of the conflict,” the statement said Pakistan’s leadership has
Amid intensifying diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday held a telephonic conversation with UAE Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan exchanging views on the evolving regional situation the Foreign Office said During the call, Dar underscored the imperative of peace and stability, calling for “immediate de-escalation” and stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path forward according to a Foreign Office spokesperson Since the outbreak of the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran Pakistan’s leadership has remained actively engaged in diplomatic outreach to help ease tensions Dar has held a series of telephonic contacts with counterparts from Gulf states and other countries, consistently emphasising the need for restraint and adherence to dialogue and diplomacy in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter In a post on X the Foreign Office reiterated Dar s call for de-escalation and peaceful resolution, highlighting that diplomacy remains central to Pakistan’s approach The deputy prime minister also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives including three Pakistani nationals in Iran’s attacks on the UAE and reaffirmed Pakistan s steadfast solidarity with
stepped up diplomatic efforts to help de-escalate tensions in the Middle East since the start of the war between the US, Israel, and Iran Dar has held telephonic conversations with his counterparts from several Gulf states and other countries stressing the importance of de-escalation and emphasising the need to pursue dialogue and diplomacy in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter Later Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong also met Dar where discussions focused on unfolding regional and global developments “Dar underscored the urgent need to promote deescalation in the Middle East and the wider region through dialogue and diplomacy it added The ministry further said that both sides reiterated the AllWeather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and agreed to maintain close cooperation on issues of mutual interest
C o n t i n u e d o n pa g e 03
PSX REBOUNDS AS FALLING OIL PRICES AND COOLING
TMari Energies, Fatima Fer tilizer sign agreements for Mari gas field pressure enhancement projec t
Mari Energies Limited and Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited have executed project agreements for the Pressure Enhancement Facilities (PEF) project at the Mari gas field in Daharki, Sindh, according to separate disclosures to the Pakistan Stock Exchange
The agreements also involve Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited and Engro Fertilizers Limited as
consortium partners Mari Energies which operates the Mari gas field with a 100% working interest, confirmed that multiple agreements have been signed with its fertilizer sector customers for the project The PEF project includes debottlenecking of pipeline infrastructure and installation of compression facilities at various points of the gas gathering network, along with related operations and maintenance According to the disclosures the
initiative is aimed at maintaining the required delivery pressure of gas from the Habib Rahi Limestone reservoir and extending the production plateau The project is expected to ensure continued gas supply to fertilizer plants supporting domestic urea production and contributing to stability in fertilizer output Fatima Fertilizer, in its filing, said the project would help sustain gas availability for fertilizer manufacturing through improved pipeline efficiency and compression systems
volatility have extended to key industrial inputs such as petrochemicals and fertilisers, posing significant risks to agricultural output and food security across Asia and the Pacific Economies heavily reliant on tourism and remittances are also confronting compounded vulnerabilities as financial conditions tighten and capital
Pakistan ranked most polluted countr y in 2025, data shows
t h a t I s l a m a b a d i s f a c i l i t a t i n g b a c k - c h a n n e l m e s s a g e s b e t w e e n Tehran and senior US figures, in-
04
COMMENT
Throwing out feelers
IRAN was quick and firm about denying it but US President Donald Trump made no bones about saying that the USA had made contact with Iran about de-escalation, indeed ending their current war Conducting backchannel diplomacy in the open is apparently a formula for failure not forgetting that the interlocutors making these talks possible would be severely embarrassed That something is afoot is confirmed by how much talk has been generated It is not just Mr Trump’s claim but the amount of background information that has been made available by anonymous Administration members Iran has gone so far as to admit that the USA has approached it indirectly but claims to have rejected the offer Mr Trump too has conceded that talks are through intermediaries He has claimed that it was Iran which had reached out and that it was willing to cease uranium and handed over the enriched uranium it had prepared so far It seems a preliminary stage, but it seems clear that the three countries intervening are Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey Though the Gulf Arab states are also Muslim, they are to an extent parties to the conflict, hosting US bases and being subject to Iranian attack The three countries mentioned are heavyweights in their own right
Because of the backchannel efforts, Mr Trump has put off by five days a bombing campaign against Iran’s energy infrastructure, both its petrochemical facilities and its electricity grid This seems to be an idea out of the old USAF playbook used in the Kosovo war by NATO against Yugoslavia (now Serbia) in 1999, which brought the Yugoslavs to surrender when the power supply was knocked out That has been put off, perhaps so that Iranian leadership can assess whether they have enough bottle for the fight under those circumstances Pakistan seems to be so much in the vanguard of this move that there is talk circulating of its providing a venue for direct talks between Iranian and US representatives Hosting such talks, especially if they are successful would enhance Pakistani prestige not just regionally but internationally, but the purpose of hosting such talks must be to end tne war, which is proving more harmful to the national interest than could have been foreseen The biggest problem will be Mr Trump s habit of shooting from the hip, and over that, Pakistan has no control
Dedicated to the legac y of late Hameed Nizami Arif Nizami (Late) Founding Editor
M A Niazi Editor Pakistan Today Babar Nizami Editor Profit
Israel still commits atrocities in the Gaza Strip
Ton
It was unnecessary It has been massive And it has been waged without any clear objective or strategic purpose Though only a few weeks old, and still too early to project how it will play out early signs of this war ’s costs and consequences are worrisome The amounts of weapons that the USA and
This isn’t the first time that Israel or the USA have looked at what they had done to these countries and their peoples and said, “Well, that’s finished,” only to find that the devastating toll of the losses they inflicted and dislocation they created produced a festering bitterness that didn’t dissipate in time. Beware the reckoning
position of 50 percent tariff on Indian exports The tariff on India was reduced to 18 percent after it promised to stop purchasing Russian oil
of our allies and partners with our joint interest in preventing domination by any single competitor nation It shows the abrupt change in nature of alliances and partnerships that would be behaviour-contingent, not trustbased Trump’s coercive economic diplomacy is a test case where India’s purchase of Russ-
Advisor Peter Navarro even so far as to refer Russo-Ukrainian conflict as Modi s war and said that the road to peace runs in part through New Delhi India s strategic inflexibility gave a clear message to the US that when it counts most it would be autonomous The NSS implies that India can no longer act autonomously against the US interests This transition is evident in recent press talk by Trump where he openly claimed that to make him happy India cut down the oil purchase from Russia following the im-
and
The NSS signals the US strategy of constraining states whom it defined as competitors through economic war The tariffs market access and supply chain would be a weapon of alignment to limit policies that undermine the US objective The strategic partners and allies are expected to align with US-led economic sanctions, otherwise they will face punitive trade measures including higher tariffs To reduce the tariff imposed by the USA Modi agreed to stop purchasing Russian oil showing it had lost the strategic room to manoeuvre Iran that was defined as an irritant in previous NSS is termed as a Chief Destabilizing Force” in NSS 2025 Washington recently announced a 25 percent tariff on countries trading with Iran While New Delhi is a top export destination for Tehran the total value of export in 2024 was $1 05 billion It was also investing in the Chabahar port deal secured in 2024 giving India ten
syeDa Tahreem bukhari
Dr James J Zogby
neither possessed the immediate capability to strike the USA nor demonstrated an intent to do so in the near term
ance
THE
leadership, through a
of
and strategic hints, has pointed toward the possibility of bypassing the Strait of Hormuz altogether The idea is deceptively simple yet geopolitically profound: construct a pipeline that would transport oil from Gulf producers across the Arabian Peninsula and into Israel, where it could then be shipped via Mediterranean ports to Europe and beyond Such a route would eliminate dependence on Hormuz neutralize Iran’s ability to disrupt global energy flows and reposition Israel as a central hub in the international oil trade
While versions of this idea have existed in policy circles for years most notably through discussions around the EilatAshkelon pipeline the present war appears to have injected new urgency into its consideration What was once a theoretical infrastructure project is now being framed as a strategic necessity The logic is clear: if Hormuz can be disrupted, then it must be bypassed And if it is bypassed through Israeli territory, then Israel gains unprecedented leverage over the energy lifelines of both Europe and parts of Asia
This raises a deeply uncomfortable question: was the war itself at least in part shaped by this long-term vision? The official justification centred on the notion of an imminent Iranian threat particularly the fear that Iran might soon develop nuclear weapons and long-range missile capabilities capable of striking Europe or even the USA
Yet as the conflict has progressed cracks have begun to appear in this narrative Statements from US intelligence officials in congressional hearings have indicated that Iran
The question is no longer who is winning on the battlefield It is who will control the pathways through which the world’s lifeblood its energy flows. In that contest, the most decisive victories may not be measured in territory captured or enemies defeated, but in pipelines laid and routes redefined
Instead the threat appears to have been framed in hypothetical terms what Iran could become, rather than what it currently is The argument shifted from “imminent danger” to “imagined future risk ” This distinction is not merely semantic; it raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the war itself If the threat was not immediate then the rationale for initiating such a large-scale conflict becomes far more questionable Against this backdrop, recent military actions take on a different meaning Strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure including major gas fields and oil facilities appear less like isolated tactical operations and more like components of a broader strategic script By provoking Iranian retaliation particularly against regional oil installations and shipping routes the conflict has effectively demonstrated the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz In doing so it has strengthened the case for alternative routes including the proposed pipeline through Israel Iran, for its part, has responded in a manner that underscores its own strategic leverage By targeting shipping lanes and signaling its ability to disrupt Hormuz Tehran has shown that it can impose a global cost for any sustained aggression against it The result is a paradox: every escalation that threatens global oil supply simultaneously reinforces the argument for bypassing the very chokepoint Iran influences
Yet the conflict is not confined to economic and strategic calculations alone It carries within it the risk of a far more dangerous escalation one rooted in religion and symbolism Reports of missile debris landing dangerously close to Jerusalem s most sacred sites, including the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock, serve as a stark reminder of how quickly this war could transcend geopolitics and ignite a broader global crisis Had these sites been directly struck the consequences would have been catastrophic, drawing in millions of believers and transforming a regional war into a wider religious confrontation Meanwhile, a subtle but significant divergence appears to be emerging between the USA and Israel Washington has signaled through public statements that it believes major military objectives have already been achieved Claims that Iran s military capabilities have been severely degraded suggest a desire to declare victory and potentially de-escalate Israel however has articulated a far more open-ended vision of the conflict Its leadership continues to emphasize that multiple objectives remain unful-
filled and that the endgame
Instead, the threat appears to have been framed in hypothetical terms what Iran could become, rather than what it currently is The argument shifted from “imminent danger” to “imagined future risk.” This distinction is not merely semantic; it raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the war itself
Netanyahu is gambling with Israel ’s future
going wrong The swift and decisive victory that both Trump and Netanyahu spoke of has not transpired Instead, the war has escalated in ways that the US and Israel did not anticipate with Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz
A long war poses a direct threat to Israeli soldiers and civilians as evidenced by the Iranian missiles that struck a town in southern Israel over the weekend It will also further damage Israel s crucial alliance with the US Netanyahu’s supporters argue that Iran presented such an existential risk to Israel that the prime minister had no option but to ignore other issues and act But some of Israel s own leading Iran watchers dispute the idea that the Islamic republic s nuclear programme presented an imminent threat Danny Citrinowicz, a former head of Iran research for Israel’s defence intelligence agency argues that the previous Iranian leadership now largely dead were cautious calculating actors They had reportedly signalled in negotiations that Iran was prepared to significantly dilute the country s stock of enriched uranium, a critical component in the development of nuclear weapons In his view “US negotiators appeared to struggle to fully grasp the technical and strategic implications of this offer Analysts like Citrinowicz believe that the biggest long-term strategic threat to Israel is not Iran but the potential loss of the American support on which Israel relies The erosion of that support is now well under way On February 27 the day before the Iran war began a poll showed that for the first time since Gallup started asking the question more Americans sympathised with the Palestinians than the Israelis Israel s brutal campaign in Gaza in the wake of Hamas s October 2023 attacks which cost the lives of many thousands of Palestinian civilians has driven that change in sentiment A
conventionally pro-Israel candidate will now struggle to win the Democratic Party nomination for the 2028 presidential election Gavin Newsom who is widely regarded as the frontrunner, has spoken of Israel as an apartheid state Netanyahu has long allied himself principally with the Republicans But virulent anti-Israeli feeling shading into outright antisemitism is now widespread within Trump s Maga movement Those sentiments have been turbocharged by the Iran war and the resignation of Joe Kent, the Trump administration’s head of counterterrorism, who accused Israel of manipulating America into the conflict
That version of events is actually far too kind to Trump It is perfectly possible for a US president to reject an Israeli prime minister s call for war with Iran Barack Obama and Joe Biden did just that Trump fell for it A swift victory over Iran might have preserved or even reinforced the US-Israeli alliance But if the US gets sucked into a quagmire that costs American lives and crashes the economy the backlash against Israel will only get stronger
As a result, it is now entirely conceivable that in the 2028 presidential campaign both the Democratic and Republican candidates will be arguing for curtailing support to Israel That would be a strategic disaster for the Israelis who have long been heavily reliant on US political and military backing Since the Hamas attack on Israel, the US has provided Israel with more than $16bn in direct military aid including bombs, ammunition and the missile interceptors that are crucial to warding off Iranian attacks
mands
suggest
interest But for the very good and productive conversations that could yield a complete and total resolution to the war as the US president said, the US will have to keep a tight rein on Israel Tel Aviv will no doubt be aware if any talks are taking place It remains the wild card
Qamar Bashir
Known for U-turns, Trump makes biggest policy reversal on Iran
CM MARYAM VOWS TO ELIMINATE TB AS PUNJAB ROLLS OUT DOORSTEP MEDICINE DELIVERY
MLAHORE S ta f f R e p o
The
travel standards as well as significantly increase train speeds
LAHORE/RAHIM YAR KHAN
S ta f f R e p o R t
Punjab Police Rahim Yar Khan in a joint operation with Military Intelligence achieved a major breakthrough with the surrender of notorious criminal Munir, alias Munni Kosh of the Kosh gang, a high-profile target carrying a bounty of Rs5 million announced by the Punjab Government
A Punjab Police spokesperson said As a result of continuous pressure, effective strategy, and coordinated operations by law enforcement agencies, the accused was compelled to lay down arms and surrender himself to the law ”
Sharing details of the ongoing Katcha operation Rahim Yar Khan
DPO Irfan Ali Samo said that so far, 65 dangerous dacoits have been killed, 99 arrested in injured condition, and 283 dacoits have surrendered He emphasised that the operation would continue until the arrest or surrender of the last criminal in the Katcha area and that the writ of the state will be ensured at all costs
Punjab IG Police Abdul Kareem
lauded Rahim Yar Khan Police for the surrender of Munni Kosh and directed continued operations against Katcha criminals He reaffirmed the resolve to take indiscriminate action against criminal elements while ensuring protection of life and property
for the public Punjab Police Khidmat Marakaz actively serve citizens Meanwhile Punjab Police Khidmat Marakaz continue to provide modern, digital services to citizens across the province So far this year, over 1 049 million citizens have obtained various services from Khidmat Marakaz
A Punjab Police spokesperson said: 375 000+ citizens obtained general police verification; 220,000+ citizens issued police character certificates; 267,000+ citizens completed tenancy registration; 32 940 medico-legal certificates issued and 39 000+ vulnerable individuals pro-
vided legal and social protection Additional services included: 9 511 vehicle verifications; 24 000+ document loss registrations; 763 crime reports registered; 44,741 copies of FIRs issued; 17 cases of violence against women reported; 45,000 employee registrations (ROPE) and 522 police verifications for private employment Punjab IG Abdul Kareem described Police Khidmat Marakaz as an excellent flagship project of public service delivery, operating 24/7 He directed that all staff maintain a polite and courteous attitude towards citizens at Khidmat Marakaz police stations and other public interfaces
TRADITIONAL FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS IN PAKISTAN FACE DECLINE AMID RISING COSTS AND SHRINKING SPACES
LHC throws out plea challenging Shehbaz Sharif acquittal in Rs16bn case
The Lahore High Court on Tuesday upheld objections to a petition challenging the acquittal of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his sons in a Rs16 billion money laundering case, effectively dismissing the plea on grounds of maintainability Chief Justice Aalia Neelum heard the case after the court registrar ’s office raised questions over the petitioner ’s legal standing During proceedings the chief justice asked the petitioner s counsel to justify how his client was an aggrieved party eligible to challenge the acquittal The court noted that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which prosecuted the case, had not filed any appeal against the trial court’s verdict a key factor in determining the petition’s validity
The petitioner ’s lawyer argued that the acquittal issued in December 2022 overlooked substantial evidence and alleged collusion between the FIA and the accused He also maintained that courts could entertain delayed petitions in matters of public interest However, Chief Justice Neelum rejected the arguments and sustained the registrar ’s objection, reinforcing the principle that only the prosecution or defence can file appeals in criminal cases
The FIA had originally booked PM Shehbaz along with his sons Hamza Shehbaz and Suleman Shehbaz in November 2020 under multiple charges, including fraud and money laundering A special court acquitted Shehbaz and Hamza in October 2022, citing lack of probability of conviction, while Suleman was cleared in July 2023 The trial court had also ordered action against former accountability adviser Mirza Shahzad Akbar and certain FIA officials for allegedly pursuing a frivolous case
An appeal filed by Akbar was later dismissed by the LHC in 2025 due to non-prosecution
Unlicensed pharmacists continue to operate medical stores across
countr y KARACHI s ta f f r e p o r t
A large number of medical stores in Karachi and interior Sindh are reportedly being run by untrained individuals including minors instead of licensed pharmacists raising serious concerns about patient safety and regulatory enforcement Despite the requirement for qualified pharmacists to dispense medicines, many outlets are operated by people without formal training or legal authorization who often provide medical advice and substitute prescribed drugs without understanding patients conditions Sindh has around 30 000 medical stores but only about 20 000 registered pharmacists and only a small fraction of them are actually present at retail outlets Selling medicines without a pharmacist on-site is a legal violation, yet investigations have found
President approves militar y awards for armed forces personnel
President of Pakistan Asif Ali
Zardari on Tuesday approved military awards for officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army, Navy, and Air Force in recognition of their service and bravery the military s media wing ISPR said The honours include:
Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military): 23
Sitara-e-Imtiaz (Military): 100
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Military): 136
Sitara-e-Basalat: 11
Tamgha-e-Basalat: 475
Imtiazi Sanad: 130
COAS Commendation Cards: 378
The ISPR has nominated the following officers Following officers and men have been conferred with Sitara-e-Basalat:
Maj Kamil Hussain Arty Maj
Sibtain Haider (Shaheed) Punjab
Maj Hamzah Israr (Shaheed) FF Maj Adnan Aslam (Shaheed) FF Capt Hasnain Akhtar (Shaheed), Arty, Hav Ali Bilawal (Shaheed), FC Bln (S), NK Bakht Zamin (Shaheed) FC Bln (S) Sep Rehman Zadin (Shaheed) FF Sep Saqlain
Hukamdad (Shaheed) SSG
R/Adm Muhammad Sohail Arshad
HI(M), Navy and R/Adm Mazhar
Mahmood Malik HI(M) Navy
Following officers and men have been conferred with Tamgha-e-Basalat: Lt Col Muhammad Saifullah Baig, Punjab, Maj Syed Moiez Abbas Shah (Shaheed), NLI, Maj Muhammad Shabbir, Punjab, Maj Daniyal Tanveer Raja, AK, Maj Muhammad Awais (Shaheed) Sigs Maj Saleem Malik AK Maj Saad Bin Zubair (Shaheed) AK Maj Muhammad Haseeb (Shaheed), AC, Maj Atif Khalil (Shaheed), FF, Capt Muhammad Ali Qureshi (Shaheed), ASC, Capt Muhammad Irshad, NLI, Capt Khurram Shahzad Baloch Capt Uzair Mehmood Malik (Shaheed) Baloch Capt Muhammad Zohaib Ud Din (Shaheed) Arty Capt Zeeshan Abbas, Arty, Lt Muhammad Hassaan Ashraf (Shaheed), Punjab, Lt Danial Ismail (Shaheed), Sindh Sub Sajjad Hussain (Shaheed) Arty Sub Imran Ahmed Farooqi (Shaheed) FF Sub Zahid Iqbal (Shaheed) FF Sub Shahab Ud Din (Shaheed), FC KP (N), Sub Atta Ur Rehman, FC KP (N), Sub Abdullah (Shaheed), FC KP (S), Sub Shahzad Meen (Shaheed) FC Bln (N) Sub Muhammad Zaman (Shaheed) FC Bln (S) N/Sub Abid Hussain (Shaheed) Arty N/Sub Jan Muhammad (Shaheed), Sigs, N/Sub Jamshaid Iqbal, Punjab, N/Sub Muhammad Bilal (Shaheed), Punjab N/Sub Zafar Ali (Shaheed) Baloch N/Sub Zaheer Hussain
Shah (Shaheed), FF, N/Sub Muhammad Auwais (Shaheed) FF N/Sub Muhammad Ali (Shaheed) Sindh N/Sub Farman Ullah (Shaheed) Sindh N/Sub Kashif Raza (Shaheed), Sindh, N/Sub Ghulam Mehdi (Shaheed), NLI, N/Sub Gul Mar Jan (Shaheed), FC KP (N), N/Sub Muhammad Khaliq (Shaheed) FC KP (S) N/Sub Taib Shah (Shaheed) FC KP (S) N/Sub Muhammad Tahir (Shaheed) FC KP (S) N/Sub Falak Niaz (Shaheed), FC Bln (N), N/Sub Dost Muhammad (Shaheed), FC Bln (N), N/Sub Ghulam Abbas (Shaheed), FC Bln (N), N/Sub Sohail Raza (Shaheed) FC Bln (S) N/Sub Noor Ali (Shaheed) FC Bln (S) Hav Sarfraz Karim (Shaheed) AD Hav Shoukat Ali (Shaheed), Punjab, Hav Saeed Iqbal (Shaheed), Punjab, Hav Yasir Khan (Shaheed), Punjab Hav Nasir Siddique (Shaheed) Punjab Hav Muhammad Asif (Shaheed) Baloch Hav Muhammad Yaqoob (Shaheed) Baloch, Hav Imran Nawaz (Shaheed), Baloch, Hav Sohrab Khan (Shaheed), FF, Hav Mian Yousaf (Shaheed), FF, Hav Muhammad Saeed (Shaheed) FF Hav Muhammad Tanveer (Shaheed) FF Hav Muhammad Javed Iqbal (Shaheed) FF Hav Zahid Khan (Shaheed), AK, Hav Sheer Zaman (Shaheed), Sindh, Hav Farman Ali (Shaheed), Sindh, Hav Izrar Khan (Shaheed) NLI Hav Taj Rasool Khan (Shaheed)
Sindh weighs targeted lockdown to conser ve fuel amid global crisis
KARACHI
s ta f f r e p o r t
Sindh authorities are considering enforcing a smart lockdown as part of efforts to reduce fuel consumption according to Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah The move comes in response to disruptions in global oil supply linked to tensions in the Middle East
Speaking in Sukkur, Shah described the current situation as far from ordinary warning that prolonged conflict could create widespread challenges He stressed the need for unconventional measures to manage the evolving crisis
As part of ongoing steps to ease pressure on resources, the provincial government has already cut petrol allocations for official vehicles by 60 percent The minister added that daily reviews are being
conducted to monitor developments and adjust policies accordingly Smart lockdowns first implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, involve targeted restrictions instead of sweeping citywide closures These measures allow authorities to limit movement and gatherings in specific areas such as neighbourhoods or streets
Under such restrictions public events and social gatherings are prohibited, and movement is controlled In affected areas, only limited numbers of people are allowed to gather and access may be restricted to essential movement with certain zones sealed if necessary
Earlier this month the Sindh government introduced a broader set of austerity measures aimed at cutting fuel use and reducing public spending amid rising oil prices tied to the ongoing regional conflict Educational institutions have
been closed from March 16 to March 31 though examinations continue as scheduled Government offices are observing workfrom-home arrangements on Fridays, without declaring a public holiday Fuel consumption for official vehicles has been reduced by half for two months while 60 percent of government vehicles have been taken off the road across departments during the same period Provincial ministers have agreed to forgo their salaries and allowances for April through June Officials are also required to travel in economy class for all official trips
Additional restrictions include a ban on purchasing new vehicles and furniture, grounding of the chief minister s official aircraft, and limiting government events to official premises rather than hotels
SBP cracks down on exchange companies, cancels licenses over regulator y violations
