Connect with us

Pakistan

PM directs authorities to ensure smooth gas supply during Ramadan

Published

on

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to guarantee an unbroken supply of gas to citizens during the sacred month of Ramadan, particularly during the times of Iftar and Sehri.

The prime minister’s directives come as the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Thursday announced its decision to suspend supplies to captive power plants and industries, citing the widening gap between gas supply and demand.

PM Shehbaz chaired a meeting on Thursday where he was given a detailed briefing regarding the issue of low pressure, interruption, and load shedding of gas in Karachi. The issue of gas load shedding in Karachi was resolved at the Prime Minister’s behest as the meeting addressed Karachi’s citizens’ complaints.

PM Shehbaz took strict notice of the gas load shedding issue raised in Parliament a couple of days ago. Speaking at Parliament, PM Shehbaz assured the National Assembly members that his government would address the issue of gas load-shedding, especially during sehr and iftar, as inflation-weary people have been registering complaints.

He called for the adoption of a comprehensive strategy for smooth gas supply to citizens during Ramadan.

Authorities took emergency measures to end gas load shedding. The Prime Minister emphasised the need for a supervised process of gas supply with zero tolerance for negligence.

Owing to the widening gap between gas supply and demand, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Thursday announced its decision to suspend supplies to captive power plants and industries.

The gas utility said that the decision has been taken considering the low supply of gas. It stated that due to a reduction in supply, the volume of gas in pipelines has decreased.

SSGC suspends gas supply

Despite protests by Karachiites, the SSGC suspended the gas supply to captive power plants and industries yesterday and said it would restore the supply from 8am today.

Since last week, scores of residents have protested against the suspension of the gas supply.

The suspension of gas supply has made life difficult for people across the country, who find it difficult to cook, especially during sehr and iftar.

The gas utility said that the decision had been taken considering the low gas supply. It stated that due to a reduction in supply, gas volume in pipelines has decreased.

Pakistan

Sindh schools winter vacations from Dec 22

Published

on

By

KARACHI: The Sindh government on Thursday announced the winter vacation schedule for public and private educational institutions across the province.

According to a notification issued by the Sindh School, Education, and Literacy Department, the educational institutions in the province will observe winter vacation from December 22 to 31.

“In pursuance of decisions taken in the steering committee meeting, all public and private educational institutions under the administrative control of School Education and Literacy Department Government of Sindh shall remain closed w.e.f 22-12,023 to 31-12,023 for Winter Vacation.”

Sindh schools winter vacations from Dec 22

After the winter break, the educational institutions will reopen on Friday (January 1, 2024).  

Meanwhile, the new academic year in the public and private schools across Sindh will commence on April 15, 2024, and August 1, 2024, in the colleges.

The matriculation and intermediate exams will be started from the last week of May 2024, while the results will be announced on July 31 and the second week of August, respectively.

Continue Reading

Pakistan

COAS Gen Asim Munir meets Kuwaiti crown prince

Published

on

By

  • PM Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar to meet Kuwaiti crown prince today. 
  • Both army chief and PM are in Kuwait on official visit. 
  • PM Office says multiple MoUs expected to be signed during visit. 

Army chief General Asim Munir on Tuesday met Kuwait’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as part of his official visit to the gulf country, reported Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).

The meeting was also attended by Caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam, Pakistan Ambassador to Kuwait Malik Mohammad Farooq and other members of the delegation.

Meanwhile, PM Kakar has also arrived in Kuwait City after concluding the UAE visit and is expected to meet the crown prince today, the PM Office said on Wednesday.

The premier will also meet his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Ahmed Al-Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

The PM office said that a number of memorandum of understanding (MoUs) will be signed for mutual cooperation in various sectors including manpower, information technology, minerals and mining, food security, energy and defence.

In UAE, Pakistan signed several MoUs worth multi-billion dollars in a range of areas on Monday to boost economic and strategic cooperation between the two countries, PM Kakar said.

The prime minister said with the signing of the MoUs, the bilateral economic and strategic relations had entered into a new era of bilateral cooperation.

Congratulating the people of Pakistan and the UAE, he said the foundation of friendship with Pakistan which was laid by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the 1970s, had been taken forward by his son Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to a new era.

PM Kakar expressed the hope that the MoUs that were signed by the two countries would turn into tangible projects very soon.

Continue Reading

Pakistan

Haj 2024: Pakistanis to get ‘free SIMs with internet’

Published

on

By

Caretaker Minister for Religious Affairs and Inter-faith Harmony Aneeq Ahmed said Tuesday that the government would provide free-of-cost mobile SIMs with roaming internet packages to Pakistanis performing Haj in 2024.

In conversation with a private news channel, the caretaker minister said abayas would also be given to female pilgrims, having a Pakistani flag on the backside, and 13kg suitcases would be given to all.

The minister called the reduction of around Rs100,000 in the Haj cost a “historic step” taken by the caretaker government, noting that a further Rs50,000 would be slashed and the amount would be refunded to the people in their accounts.

He said a new mobile application has been designed to assist pilgrims, which will provide navigation support and enable constant communication between pilgrims and relevant officials.

Initially available in English and Urdu, the application will later incorporate various regional languages, he said, adding, that the app would also provide digital training programmes to every pilgrim.

The minister also disclosed a project that Haj ministry, with the collaboration of the education ministry, has planned to convert city mosques into schools to enroll out-of-school children where the mosques’ imams would play a leading role.

The minister said that mosques will play their role as community centers in every city areas, adding that imams will resolve community issues as well after offering prayers.

He said that haj ministry is taking all four provinces on board and enhancing the connectivity of mosques.

While describing another project, the minister said that his ministry with the collaboration of the health ministry has another project in the works, in which medical clinics will also be part of mosques.

Continue Reading

Trending