Minister vows Hajj 2025 will be exemplary
Talking to Radio Pakistan, the minister praised the Saudi government's Hajj arrangements, describing them as a model of excellence.
He highlighted the comprehensive measures put in place to ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims, showcasing the Saudi government's commitment to providing a seamless Hajj experience.
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Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
PM Shehbaz assesses flood-damage in Gilgit-Baltistan
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a review meeting on Hajj arrangements for the upcoming year in Islamabad on Saturday, June 21, 2025. Photo courtesy: Radio Pakistan Listen to article Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday and chaired a high-level meeting to review the damage caused by recent heavy rains, flash floods, and cloudbursts in the region. He was received by Governor Syed Mehdi Shah, who briefed him on the scale of destruction caused by persistent rainfall, including landslides and flooding. Expressing sorrow over the losses, the prime minister said Gilgit-Baltistan had suffered significant damage due to extreme weather events. He reiterated that Pakistan is among the countries most severely affected by climate change, despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions. Shehbaz stressed that the impacts of climate change are intensifying each year and called for urgent, effective measures to combat them. He said the Ministry of Climate Change has been directed to take immediate action. Declaring the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) a key national institution, he noted that federal agencies are working closely with the Gilgit-Baltistan government to accelerate relief and rescue operations. The prime minister also received a ground-level briefing on the situation and was informed of the status of ongoing development projects in the region, as well as efforts by the local administration to manage the crisis. The meeting discussed the launch of a Danish school in Gilgit-Baltistan, with PM Shehbaz confirming that the project would soon be implemented to enhance educational standards. Both leaders offered prayers for those who lost their lives in the floods. The prime minister expressed deep concern over the damage to infrastructure, homes, and livelihoods, and assured the region of the federal government's full support. Tourists among dead as emergency declared in 37 flood-hit areas G-B government declared a state of emergency in 37 areas across the mountainous region after floods claimed at least 10 lives, most of them tourists, and left several others missing. Read: Emergency declared in 37 G-B flood-hit areas Four people were reported injured while at least a dozen more remain unaccounted for, with rescue operations ongoing. According to a notification issued by the G-B Home Department, the affected locations span eight districts, including Diamer, Gilgit, Ghizer, Skardu, Shigar, Ghanche, Nagar and Kharmang. Entire villages have been swamped, roads washed away, and homes reduced to rubble as swollen rivers surged through valleys with terrifying force. 'People have suffered losses which include loss of human lives, livestock, damage to houses, infrastructure and standing crops,' the notification read, invoking the National Calamities (Prevention and Relief) Act, 1958. G-B government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq confirmed that 22 vehicles had been swept away and 509 houses were destroyed in the floods. Flash floods claim 299 lives across Pakistan since late June While G-B bears the immediate brunt, the broader picture across Pakistan is equally alarming. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), floods and torrential rains since June 26 have killed 299 people nationwide, including 140 children. Read more: Flash floods killed 299 across Pakistan since June 26: NDMA Another 715 individuals have been injured, while over 1,600 houses have either been damaged or destroyed. The loss of 428 livestock has further deepened the hardship for affected families. The NDMA has conducted 223 rescue operations and evacuated nearly 2,900 people from flood-hit areas. Thousands of essential relief items, including tents, hygiene kits, food packs and de-watering pumps, have been dispatched to affected communities. Medical teams have treated hundreds across 71 emergency camps. From August 4 onward, a fresh monsoon wave is expected to intensify, raising the risk of flash floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods in vulnerable regions.
Business Recorder
13 hours ago
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G2G agreement: Pakistan govt plans to offer solar projects to Saudi firm
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan government has reportedly included two large-scale solar power projects, totalling 2,800 MW, in the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2025-35, which may be offered to Saudi energy company M/s ACWA Power under a proposed Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement. According to sources, the National Grid Company of Pakistan Limited (NGC), in a letter titled 'Land Acquisition for Solar Power Projects at Layyah, Jhang and Muzaffargarh', informed the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) about the inclusion of these projects in the IGCEP. Shah Jahan Mirza, Managing Director of PPIB, has conveyed to the Power Division that the draft IGCEP—currently under finalization—includes various scenario analyses by the System Operator (ISMO). Among them are two specific solar PV development scenarios proposing 1,000 MW and 1,800 MW capacity additions, earmarked for potential development by ACWA Power. Saudi firm keen to invest in renewable energy sector However, he emphasized that the offer to the Saudi side would depend on the approval of these scenarios by NEPRA. Mirza also advised the Power Division not to de-notify the land identified for these solar PV projects until the IGCEP is formally approved. The project's future had earlier appeared uncertain. In November 2023, Pakistan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia reported that ACWA Power had declined to sign any agreement with Islamabad, citing security concerns. However, a shift in momentum was seen after a delegation of Saudi investors—including ACWA representatives—visited Pakistan and held talks with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Since then, Pakistan's embassy in Riyadh has remained in contact with the company. Despite renewed interest, hurdles remain. Saudi authorities have expressed concerns over the treatment of M/s Al-Jomaih, a Saudi investor involved with K-Electric. These concerns, officials said, have made Saudi investors cautious about engaging in new ventures in Pakistan. The Al-Jomaih issue is now being handled by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar. The inclusion of these solar projects in the IGCEP signals the government's ongoing efforts to diversify its energy mix and attract foreign investment in renewable energy—though political and regulatory assurances remain critical to securing such high-value deals, the sources said. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
17 hours ago
- Business Recorder
G2G agreement: Govt plans to offer solar projects to Saudi firm
ISLAMABAD: The government has reportedly included two large-scale solar power projects, totalling 2,800 MW, in the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2025-35, which may be offered to Saudi energy company M/s ACWA Power under a proposed Government-to-Government (G2G) agreement. According to sources, the National Grid Company of Pakistan Limited (NGC), in a letter titled 'Land Acquisition for Solar Power Projects at Layyah, Jhang and Muzaffargarh', informed the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) about the inclusion of these projects in the IGCEP. Shah Jahan Mirza, Managing Director of PPIB, has conveyed to the Power Division that the draft IGCEP—currently under finalization—includes various scenario analyses by the System Operator (ISMO). Among them are two specific solar PV development scenarios proposing 1,000 MW and 1,800 MW capacity additions, earmarked for potential development by ACWA Power. Saudi firm keen to invest in renewable energy sector However, he emphasized that the offer to the Saudi side would depend on the approval of these scenarios by NEPRA. Mirza also advised the Power Division not to de-notify the land identified for these solar PV projects until the IGCEP is formally approved. The project's future had earlier appeared uncertain. In November 2023, Pakistan's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia reported that ACWA Power had declined to sign any agreement with Islamabad, citing security concerns. However, a shift in momentum was seen after a delegation of Saudi investors—including ACWA representatives—visited Pakistan and held talks with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC). Since then, Pakistan's embassy in Riyadh has remained in contact with the company. Despite renewed interest, hurdles remain. Saudi authorities have expressed concerns over the treatment of M/s Al-Jomaih, a Saudi investor involved with K-Electric. These concerns, officials said, have made Saudi investors cautious about engaging in new ventures in Pakistan. The Al-Jomaih issue is now being handled by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar. The inclusion of these solar projects in the IGCEP signals the government's ongoing efforts to diversify its energy mix and attract foreign investment in renewable energy—though political and regulatory assurances remain critical to securing such high-value deals, the sources said. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
