ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):The consumption of petroleum products registered a growth rate of 9.7 percent during fiscal year 2016-17 as compared to previous year’s increase of 5.2 percent.
During the year, main drivers of increased consumption were transport and power sectors, which registered high growth of 12 percent and 10 percent respectively as compared to the year 2015-16, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) said in its annual report for the year 2016-17.
The consumption of Motor Spirit (MS) in transport sector witnessed an increase of around 16 percent during the period under review, which could be attributed to rising demand of transport sector particularly the growing number of motorcycles and cars.
Similarly, consumption of High Speed Diesel (HSD) grew by 10 percent compared to previous year mainly on account of higher utilization by transport sector indicating increased economic activity in the country.
Transport and Power sectors consumed almost 90 percent of total Petroleum Oil Lubricant (POL) consumed in the country, with 57 percent and 33 percent shares respectively.
Pakistan State Oil remained the lead player in total energy products supply to the consumers with 55 percent market share, followed by Shell with 9 percent, Attock Petroleum Limited and Hascol Private Limited with 8 percent each. Total PARCO Marketing Limited and Total PARCO Pakistan Limited captured 4 percent shares each. While, Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited and other oil marketing companies contributed 3 percent and 8 percent shares respectively.
Total production by the refineries stood at 11.67 million tons as compared to previous year’s 11.31 million tons, showing a growth of 3.2 percent.
Pak-Arab Refinery Company was the largest and main producer of petroleum (POL) products with 39 percent market share in the total production, followed by National Refinery Limited with 20 percent share, Attock Refinery Limited , Pakistan Refinery Limited and Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited with 18 percent, 14 percent and 10 percent respectively.
The demand for HSD, MS and FO were mostly met through imports as domestic production was not enough to meet the domestic requirements.
Around 73 percent of MS, 69 percent of FO, 46 percent of HSD and 14 percent of Jet Fuels demand was met through imports of finished POL products in the country during the last fiscal year.
POL products’ consumption up by 9.7%, production 3.2 %
CM inaugurates different projects, lays foundation stones of many new schemes in Pattoki
LAHORE, Feb 27 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday visited Pattoki, Tehsil of Kasur District, and inaugurated different projects besides laying the foundation stones of many new schemes.
He laid foundation stone of overhead bridge project at Hala Road Bypass in Pattoki for interconnecting the localities residing on both sides. This projects would be completed in July this year with a cost of Rs 350 million. He inaugurated Government College Allahabad which had been constructed with the cost of Rs 100 million.
On the occasion, the THQ Hospital Kot Radha Kishan, completing with the cost of Rs 130 million, was also inaugurated by the Chief Minister.
Addressing a large public gathering in Pattoki, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the PML-N government had spent billion of rupees on the development of Kasur District and different health, education and infrastructure projects had been completed with resources amounting to billions of rupees. He announced construction of Kanganpur-Pattoki dual carriageway, new road from Pattoki to Hala and establishment of hospital in
Phoolnagar.
He also announced establishment of university in Kasur, ten speedo buses for Pattoki and new wonderful public parks in Pattoki and Chunian.
Shehbaz Sharif said that he visited Pattoki when Zardari imposed governor rule in Punjab and a mammoth ocean of the people got it ended. “Today, an ocean of the people is witness to the fact that PML-N will rule the whole country in 2018,” he added.
He said that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had got him elected as acting president of the PML-N. Nawaz Sharif had been deprived of the party presidency but his love could not be removed from the hearts of the people as he lived in public hearts and in fact, Nawaz Sharif symbolized Pakistan, the Chief Minister said and added, “Nawaz Sharif is a statesman and a great son of our politics. Today, resolution has been passed in central executive committee meeting to elevate Muhammad Nawaz Sharif as a lifelong party Quaid. He will always be party Quaid and we shall progress and move further jointly under his leadership.”
He said that Orange Line Metro Train had been run on trial basis and that project would start soon to provide honorable traveling facilities to the people. He said that a delay of 22 months had occurred in this project due to Imran Niazi who spoke lies day and night. He said that people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa trusted Imran Niazi and brought him to power four and a half years ago but he had economically ruined the province. Niazi Sahib, wasted precious time of the nation through sit-in and lockdown and promoted a culture of name-calling, he said and added, “Khan Sahib boosted of producing 74 megawatt electricity in KPK. I put a question to him that if he produced that electricity in space because it’s non-existing on earth.”
Shehbaz Sharif said, the same Khan Sahib claimed that he would develop hospitals and educational institutions instead of wasting resources on metro bus in Peshawar, adding that he (Imran Khan) had not developed hospitals nor any educational institutions and after a lapse of four and a half years, the whole Peshawar city had been dug out recklessly when they thought of starting metro bus there.
The Chief Minister said that he filed a defamation case of ten billion rupees against Imran Khan and then sent a notice of 27 billion rupees but this Khan Sahib was avoiding the court. Yesterday, he had appeared along with a bundle of allegations about Multan Metro Bus and a person namely Subhan Khan, the CM said and added, “I request the Chief Justices of High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan to constitute full bench for investigating the matter. If I am proved wrong then I shall beg pardon from the nation and leave the politics arena for once and for all. If Khan Sahib is proved wrong about his allegations then he should set the politics aside and sit in some room to learn speaking the truth.” He said that Khan Sahib spoke lies abundantly that he should form a party of liars because he had no relation with Tehreek-e-Insaaf. Khan Sahib, the nation would not allow your falsehood to succeed, Shehbaz Sharif added.
The Punjab Chief Minister said, on the other side, there was Zardari Sahib whose government had ruined Karachi City, adding that once Karachi was a beautiful metropolis which was called a city of lights. “Now, filth and garbage is everywhere and rundown buses are plying on the roads. This is a pitiable situation in Karachi,” he said and added that if the people succeeded the PML-N in 2018 elections, then Peshawar and Karachi would be
developed as modern cities as like Lahore.
The Chief Minister said that Khan Sahib made false claim of producing electricity but the PML-N government made investments to the tune of billions of rupees in energy projects and loadshedding was about to an end. He said that farmers were getting fertilizers at half the price for the last three years while small farmers were getting interest-free loans to the tune of billions of rupees. He said the PEEF had distributed Rs 15 billion as stipends among needy students during the last nine years and 3.5
lakh students were benefitting from this program.
Similarly, he said, thousands of kilometers long roads had been constructed in rural areas and hospitals and educational institutions had been set up along with launching a mega project of clean drinking water.
He said, “Elections will be held after four months and if we are again given an opportunity of public service then I promise that work will be soon started on Kasur University project. Along with it, the development projects announced today will also be accelerated for their timely completion.”
He said that CT scan machine had been installed in Kasur Hospital to provide round the clock service, adding that corrupt system had been ended now in which patients were forced to manage their CT scan privately. He said, “People are getting quality medicines in government hospitals and the medicines used by the son of the Prime Minister are given to the son of a poor in hospitals.
He said that four acre piece of land had been donated by the political family of Kasur for construction of hospital and if success was achieved in the next elections then the hospital project would be completed in Phoolnagar as soon as possible.
He said that 2018 elections was the voting for development and prosperity and added the PML-N had selflessly served the masses. “We shall eliminate poverty and unemployment to make this country a Pakistan of Iqbal and Jinnah, he added.
Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Iqbal, MNAs, MPAs and a large number of people were also present on the occasion.
Nawaz Sharif most popular political leader in country: Saira
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):State Minister for Health Saira Afzal Tarrar Tuesday said Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was the most popular political leader in the country and people were supporting the former prime minister.
Talking to a private news channel, she said people were supporting the narrative of Nawaz Sharif and their participation in political gatherings of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) was prove of the fact.
She said no body could raise objections if the accountability process was same and transparent for everyone without any discrimination.
She urged that all political parties should learn the lesson from their past mistakes, adding that all national institutions were respectable for all of us.
Hundreds of thousands of children deprived of education in KP: Rana Mashhood
LAHORE, Feb 27 (APP):Provincial Minister Schools Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan Tuesday claimed that school enrolment campaign
for children has miserably failed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and hundreds of thousands of children were deprived of going to school whereas more than 5 million students had been enrolled in schools of Punjab province from 2008 to 2017.
He said that according to recent survey conducted with the teachers of elementary and secondary Education departments
KP, hundreds of thousands of children were still out from schools. Similarly, 275 schools are nonfunctional due to unavailability of
teachers, land disputes and security issues. The above mentioned report has been prepared by the government and
non-government organizations working in the educational sector in KP, says a handout issued here on Tuesday.
The Minister said the report had highlighted the reasons of closure of schools included unsatisfactory law and order
situation, deficiency of teachers and other staffs besides land disputes. It is worth mentioning that there is ongoing
campaign in KP by teachers, schools administration headmasters and principals for the up-gradation and time scale.
He said that teachers of KP are demanding from their government to adopt the measures introduced in Punjab for
providing quality education.
According to teachers of KP imparting quality education in the current scenario is totally impossible. Rana Mashhood
Ahmad said that Punjab government had allocated a huge amount of Rs. 345 billion in education sector.
Three thousand schools have been upgraded and first time 154 public schools of Punjab received International awards
from British Council, he added.
The world order must be rule-based:
MIRPUR, Feb 27 (APP):Azad Jammu & Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan said the world order must be rule-based and not dictated by realpolitik driven by jingoism, xenophobia and warmongering. If the international
rule of law does not become the norm, the world would, once again, plunge into a catastrophic global war.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir President Sardar Masood Khan expressed these views while
addressing students and faculty at the Oxford University late Monday, says a message released to the media here on Tuesday.
In a two-hour session that included an extended question and answers session, President Masood Khan said that the United Nations, which should be a symbol of rule-based global governance for peace and security on the basis of the Charter, has failed miserably in resolving the issue of Jammu and
Kashmir.
The United Nations, the President said, is bound by Article 1 of its Charter, to “maintain
international peace and security, and to take effective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace.”
The UN, the President said, should not shun its responsibility on Kashmir simply because some powerful countries, in collusion with India, want to crush and block the will of Kashmiri people to determine their political identity and future.
Sardar Masood Khan said that 20 million people of Jammu and Kashmir want to exercise
their right to self-determination and take a decision on the accession of their state. Historically, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have always been part of Pakistan and, as a whole, wanted to make, Pakistan their homeland. But India, through its 70 year-long occupation wants to deny their
inalienable right, he added.
Masood Khan strongly quashed rumours and fabrications about the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC). “It [CPEC] is a corridor, open to all, not a cul-de-sac or a silo”, he said.
The President said that China has never been a colonial power and Pakistan is a strong, pivotal country in the comity of nations. “East India Company”, he said, was an imperial legacy. The CPEC,
he said, stems from the globalizing economic connectivity driven by the mega Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This era of connectivity is not about domination, rather participation on equal footing for
shared prosperity and security for all, not a chosen few, he said.
Sardar Masood Khan also told his audience how AJK was investing heavily in quality higher education and making endeavors to become an economic engine by participating in CPEC and developing infrastructure, tourism, industry, agriculture, health, and telecommunications sectors.
He invited entrepreneurs of the Kashmiri and Pakistani diaspora community to invest in Azad Kashmir’s projects and assured them that the state was becoming the most abundant source of hydropower generation, with the projection of six to seven thousand MW electricity production by
2025.
Iranian drug control authorities ensured all possible cooperation
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):Secretary Anti Narcotics Control, Iqbal Mehmood on Tuesday ensured all possible cooperation and support to Iranian drug control authorities in eliminating the menace of drugs from the society.
He emphasized this in a meeting with Iranian delegation led by Brig. General Mohammad Masood Zabetian, who called on him here Tuesday, a news release said.
The meeting was also attended by DG ANF Maj. Gen. Musarrat Malik. Welcoming the Iranian delegation, Secretary shared the overall role of the Ministry and its key functions in fight against narcotics.
He briefed about the role of Anti Narcotics Force (ANF), and appreciated the performance of the force with limited resources. It has been agreed between the both sides that, mutual technical training, joint monitoring and surveillance mechanism and support programs be initiated.
This will enable both the countries to understand new trends, modern technology and practical strategic approach to deal with this common menace. The Iranian delegation, extend the invitation to Secretary MNC, to visit Tehran accompanied by representatives from ANF.
The Iranian side also appreciated the performance of the Ministry and ANF in combating drugs. Secretary Narcotics also presented a shield to Brig. General Mohammad Masood Zabetian.
SC directs FIA to complete all legal formalities in Hussain Haqqani case
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):The Supreme Court of Pakistan Tuesday ordered Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to complete all legal formalities in Hussain Haqqani case within a week.
A three-member bench headed by the Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard the memogate scandal case.
During the hearing, Additional Attorney General Rana Waqar said the FIA had asked the Interpol to bring back Husasin Haqqani and certain queries in reply to the application.
He said the lobby of Hussain Haqqani had become active after the proceedings in the case that had begun and he wanted to brief the court in-camera over the issue.
The chief justice remarked that no lobby could do anything and the people in the country should work fearlessly.
Rana Waqar also said when the court heard the matter, Haqqani and his lobby wold get active against Pakistan. He requested the bench to hear the matter in his chamber.
The chief justice accepted the plea and asked the additional attorney general and petitioner to appear in his chamber this day.
The chief justice made it clear that no lobby would have an influence on them.
He also questioned as to why the federal government did not proceed further against Haqqani in view of the commission’s report which was submitted earlier.
The court directed the FIA to register a case and submit its report within a week.
SEZs under CPEC to benefit all people across board: Mushahid
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):Chairman of Parliamentary Affairs Committee on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Mushahid Hussain Syed has said that special economic zones (SEZs), Gwadar Port, hospitals and international airport’s construction under China Pakistan Economic Corridor would largely benefit the people of all provinces.
The people living in Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, and Balochistan would have opportunities and benefits from CPEC projects initiated with the help and heavy investment of China, he said while talking to a news channel.
“CPEC would alleviate poverty and unemployment from the country, ” he said.
To a question, the chairman said Pakistan was availing the expertise of engineers, technicians, and other skilled workers from China in various projects initiated under the CPEC programme.
Two power projects, producing over 2,000 mega watt electricity, had been completed through CPEC plan, he added.
To another question he said CPEC would not only connect the people but also improve cultural and business relations between the two countries.
Mushahid Hussain Syed said despite many challenges, China had made huge investment through CPEC projects which
he added “Showed china’s full confidence in Pakistan.”
Replying to a question he said the people living in less developed parts of Pakistan would have benefits besides
job opportunities from the CPEC projects.
He said some 20,000 students of Pakistan were completing education in various disciplines from Chinese institutions.
Japan provides $7.7 mln to support FMD control, restoration of livelihoods in FATA
ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (APP):The Government of Japan announced funding for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to implement two projects worth around $2.7 million and $5.0 million respectively for the enhancement of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) control and the second phase of restoration of the livelihoods in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
In this regard, notes were signed and exchanged here on Tuesday between the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Mr. Takashi Kurai, and FAO Representative in Pakistan Ms. MinàDowlatchahi, in the presence of Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research Mr. Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan.
A Grant Agreement on the details of implementation of the project was signed and exchanged between Mr. Yasuhiro Tojo, Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Ms. Dowlatchahi at the same ceremony.
The FMD is a highly contagious disease of cloven footed animals that threatens food security and the livelihoods of mallholders and prevents livestock sector from achieving its economic potential. Milk production may drop 50 to 70 % and mortality of young calves reaches 10 to 22 %. If these losses are interpolated into livestock population, it results into hundreds of million dollars per annum.
The project will significantly improve the FMD outbreaks surveillance and rapid response mechanism for disease control and reduce the incidence of FMD outbreaks in the country. This will help curtail the losses caused by the disease and improve productivity of livestock contributing to food security and improve resilience of livelihood of livestock farmers to animal disease threats.
In 2015, Japan also funded $5 million for the first phase of the project, and FAO successfully supported approximately 77,000 householdsto resume agricultural production that helped improve food security and livelihoods. In the second phase of the same project, Government of Japan through FAO will provide support to about 32,000 households in the two targeted agencies of FATA, Kurram and Khyber.
The project will help reduce poverty and promote economic opportunities in the region through agriculture development which will support stabilization and economic growth in the area.
This project is in line with the “FATA Sustainable Return and Rehabilitation Strategy”, launched by FATA Secretariat and implemented in collaboration with UN agencies and donor countries including Japan
Speaking on the occasion, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan said Government of Pakistan considers agriculture as a key area of focus to ensure food security for all segments of the society.
A growing agriculture sector not only plays a vital role in boosting national economy but also reducing poverty and improving access to food. For improving nutrition diversification of agriculture by enhanced focus on high value horticulture, livestock and fisheries is main thrust of new “Agriculture and Food Security Policy“.
Mr. Takashi Kurai said: “Agriculture sector is a vital component of Pakistan’s economy and its steady growth is a prerequisite for the overall developments of the country. So I believe that these two projects will not only contribute to the improvement of production of agricultural goods but also to the socioeconomic development in Pakistan.”
Mr. Yasuhiro Tojo said that the project would make a significant contribution toward stabilization of the area and essentially focus on agribusiness and value chain development to boost commercial agriculture in FATA. The project will be expected to facilitate women participation in various interventions, particularly in homestead poultry, kitchen gardening and food and grain storage/preservation.
Thanking the government of Japan for its financial assistance, Ms.MinàDowlatchahi said, “These projects will cover important areas of interventions for the FATA Transition Plan. These interventions will contribute to the development of the agricultural sector in FATA by improving food security, boosting economic activities and markets and as a result help achieve peace and security in the area.
The FMD project emphasizes the importance of animal health as part of the One Health agenda, which is crucial for addressing food insecurity, improving nutrition and rural livelihoods that are dependent on livestock.”
Seminaries defending ideology of Pakistan: Maulana Fazlur Rehman
PESHAWAR, Feb 27 (APP):Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman Tuesday said that seminaries
were playing vital role in spreading message of Islam and defense of Pakistan.
He said this during an inauguration ceremony of Darul Uloom Nomania Qureshi Mor here.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the anti-Pakistan forces were trying to target ideology of the country, but the religious scholars and seminaries had defeated them.
He said that the seminaries played a major role during crucial times and never compromised over ideology of Pakistan.
He said that JUI-F is working on the agenda of ideology of Pakistan on all available forums
whether on the floor of assembly or among the masses.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that Sino-Pak trade relations were decades old, adding that
JUI-F played its due role in development of trade relations with Middle East and the whole region.