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In complex, challenging conditions, political confrontations and even armed conflicts tend to end in a stalemate. Then, finally, the most contentious issues are settled on the negotiating table. It would be pertinent to note that the move for a dialogue between the PDM government and the PTI was initiated when the police and the PTI workers were engaged in one of their worst street confrontations. And the country, trapped in a political stalemate and economic stagnation, was sinking into a deepening quagmire. Yet the government’s dialogue initiative seems to have been somewhat eclipsed by political confusion, particularly by the apparent official anti-democratic move to arrest ex-prime minister Imran Khan or ban PTI. The political confrontation between the two main political rivals and the all-pervasive polarisation in the country seems to already push the ‘neutrals’ into political territory. In two high-level meetings chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, one of which was atten...

The energy crisis in Pakistan has not emerged overnight. Such a crisis has been systematically created through inappropriate planning. Institutions are created without reducing the functions or transferring the functions of previous institutions to new ones. One such example is the continuing role of the Department of Explosives on the midstream and downstream operations of the oil and gas industry, despite the subsequent creation of the independent regulator Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for the very said purpose. As an immediate measure, recently, the government has rightly emphasised the promotion of LPG business by directing the two predominantly public sector gas utility companies to also import and distribute LPG on a larger scale to mitigate the issue of natural gas shortage as far as possible. Although LPG is the most expensive fuel, due to its economical moveability and short switching time, it is widely baptised as a poor man’s fuel because of its ability to reac...

When the China-brokered deal between arch-rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia was announced on March 10, it took the world by surprise. With China beginning to play an increasingly assertive and overt role on the regional and global geopolitical stage, the announcement also indicated a new global order was taking shape. Besides a major geopolitical move, the announcement of a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia carries crude implications too. The deal could mean a more potent and stronger Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) plus. Differences between the two major oil producers have marred a number of Opec ministerial meetings, insiders know and concede. Often their interests clashed, resulting in heated arguments behind closed doors in Opec meetings. And though both understood the importance of the Opec and its necessity for their own interests, they were often seen in opposite camps. The animosity between the two major oil producers has impacted Opec’s cohesio...

ISLAMABAD: Ibrahim Khalid Tawab, Honorary Consul General of Ethiopia in Karachi, has said that a Pakistani delegation during a visit to the African country met the chief of Ethiopian Airlines, who announced that flights to Karachi will start very soon. During its visit from March 5-10, the delegation comprising businessmen reviewed trade and investment opportunities in the African country’s markets. The delegation, led by Mr Tawab, called on several high-ranking government officials, including the deputy prime minister, foreign minister, head of investment commission and minister of state for diplomatic affairs. These meetings allowed the delegation to learn more about the business environment in Ethiopia and explore potential collaboration between the businesses in Pakistan and Ethiopia. The consul general said Ethiopia was a large market in the African region with a population of 120 million, adding that the total market of Pakistan and Africa was 350 million. He said Ethiopia wa...

RIYADH: The Gulf Cooperation Council said on Sunday it had written to Washington’s top diplomat condemning controversial comments from Israel’s finance minister in which he denied the existence of a Palestinian people. The GCC, in a letter to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, called on Washington “to assume its responsibilities in responding to all measures and statements that target the Palestinian people”. The letter from the six-member GCC’s foreign ministers also called on the United States “to play its role in reaching a just, comprehensive and lasting solution” to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, speaking earlier this month, said the Palestinians did not exist as a people, comments that sparked outrage among Arab nations. Palestinians accuse Jewish settlers of West Bank arson The US State Department said they had found Smotrich’s comments “to not only be inaccurate but also deeply concerning and dangerous”. Smotric...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday responded to President Dr Arif Alvi’s letter — which was sent to the premier earlier this week — in a bid to “set the record of the government straight” and bring the latter’s “partisan attitude” on record. On Friday, the president asked the PM to direct federal and provincial authorities to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections in accordance with the orders of the Supreme Court to “avoid further complications”. In a letter, Alvi also mentioned the “use of disproportionate force” by authorities against politicians, political workers, and journalists. In a five-page strongly worded reply today, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com , PM Shehbaz stated that Alvi’s letter was “blatantly partisan” and in parts read like “a press release of the opposition political party Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) whose one-sided, anti-government views you continue to openly espouse, not...

ISLAMABAD: WWF-Pakistan on Saturday celebrated ‘Earth Hour 2023’ with individuals, communities and businesses across the country joining in to switch off their lights and give an hour for the planet. This year’s ‘Earth Hour’ served as a reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and protect natural resources, particularly in the wake of the 2022 floods that devastated communities across Pakistan. WWF-Pakistan Director GeneralHammad Naqi Khan said: “Earth Hour is a momentous occasion for Pakistan to unite and raise awareness about the pressing environmental challenges we face. With our country grappling with the impacts of climate change, including the 2022 floods that devastated communities across Pakistan, we must take action to protect our natural resources and create a sustainable future. By joining ‘Earth Hour’ and switching off lights, we can demonstrate our commitment to a brighter and more sustainable future for Pakistan.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also marked ...