Day: September 16, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The federal government will roll out the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme across Pakistan from 11:59 p.m. on September 16, providing subsidised petrol to eligible users of motorcycles, three-wheelers and vehicles up to 800cc. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired the 9th meeting of the National Steering Committee on Fuel Subsidy on Wednesday, where arrangements for the nationwide launch were reviewed and finalised. The scheme will also cover eligible loaders and pick-ups, while the cost of the relief will be borne entirely by the federal government.…

Read More

BANGKOK: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand in major Asian markets, including China, India and Pakistan, could recover from multi-year lows once disruptions to Middle Eastern supplies ease and additional global LNG capacity comes online, industry executives said. The ongoing US-Iran conflict has disrupted LNG flows from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with restrictions on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz significantly tightening global supply. The disruption has pushed Asian spot LNG prices sharply higher, reaching nearly $30 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) compared with pre-war levels of around…

Read More

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has warned Yemen’s Houthi movement that the security of the Kingdom’s holy sites is a “red line” after its air defences intercepted and destroyed a drone south of Makkah before it entered the city’s prohibited airspace. The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said the drone was intercepted on Tuesday evening. Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the security of the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims would not be compromised and warned that the coalition would take “necessary and deterrent” measures against further attacks. The Houthis, however,…

Read More

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s energy situation is coming under increasing pressure as disruptions to major Gulf energy transit routes drive up international fuel prices, while the government seeks to protect consumers and maintain electricity generation through greater reliance on domestic resources. Federal Energy Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik warned on Tuesday that disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb could further complicate fuel supplies and increase the cost of energy imports. The ministers said government planning and increased use of domestic energy resources…

Read More

KABUL: Saudi Arabia-based Delta International Energy has signed a series of agreements with Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum covering hydrocarbon exploration, natural-gas utilisation in Herat and a proposed 700-kilometre gas pipeline linking western Afghanistan with the Pakistan border. The agreements, signed in Kabul on September 7, mark a potentially significant development in Afghanistan’s energy sector and could strengthen the country’s role as an energy corridor between Central Asia and South Asian markets. However, the widely reported $50 billion figure should not be interpreted as an immediate investment commitment or…

Read More