Author: Admin

Customs Fixes Revised Import Value for Solar Panels at \$0.08–\$0.09/Watt

Admin
solar energy

ISLAMABAD: The Directorate General of Customs Valuation, Karachi, has issued a new valuation ruling, fixing the customs value of imported solar panels at \$0.08 to \$0.09 per watt, reflecting a downward revision in line with global market trends. As per Valuation Ruling No. 2012/2025 issued on Monday, the revision follows multiple representations from stakeholders, including a formal request by the Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) dated January 21, 2025. The PSA had urged the directorate to reassess the previous ruling (No. 1894/2024) issued on July 4, 2024, citing a significant drop…

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Australia Eyes Return to Pakistan’s Mining Sector After Decade-Long Hiatus

Admin
mineral-sector

ISLAMABAD: Australia is poised to re-enter Pakistan’s mining and mineral sector after more than a decade, with plans for direct investments, joint ventures, and institutional collaboration aimed at resource exploration, development, and skills enhancement. Australian High Commissioner Neil Hawkins met with Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik on Monday to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in energy and mining. Hawkins conveyed renewed interest from Australian mining companies in Pakistan’s mineral-rich regions—particularly Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir—and proposed joint training initiatives involving Australian universities, mining firms, and Pakistani institutions to develop local expertise…

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Pakistan’s Trade Deficit with Middle East Widens to \$13.97bn Amid Surging Fuel Imports

Admin
petroleum-imports

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s trade deficit with the Middle East expanded by 7.37% to \$13.974 billion in FY25, up from \$13.014bn a year earlier, driven primarily by a sharp increase in petroleum imports. According to data from the State Bank of Pakistan, the widening deficit underscores the country’s continued dependence on energy imports from the region, while export growth to Middle Eastern markets remained subdued. Crude oil imports surged by 15% in volume during FY25, significantly impacting the trade balance. This marks a reversal from the previous fiscal year (FY24), when the…

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Govt Faces Dilemma Over CPEC Power Plants in Circular Debt Settlement Plan

Admin
Power-Tariff

ISLAMABAD: The government is facing a critical challenge in distributing payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under its Rs1,275 billion circular debt settlement plan, as Chinese IPPs operating under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have not agreed to revise their Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). A senior Power Division official confirmed that while negotiations have progressed with many local IPPs to revise contracts for cost relief, the treatment of Chinese power projects remains a sticking point. “The dues owed to CPEC power plants have now soared to Rs48 billion,” the official…

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China Launches World’s Largest Hydropower Dam in Tibet, Sparking Concern in India

Admin
Global-Hydropower

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Li Qiang has officially launched the construction of a mega hydropower project on the Tibetan Plateau, which is expected to become the world’s largest hydroelectric facility. The dam, located on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Nyingchi, Tibet, has triggered alarm in India and Bangladesh over potential downstream impacts. The Yarlung Tsangpo River flows into India as the Brahmaputra, passing through Arunachal Pradesh and Assam before entering Bangladesh. Concerns have been raised about the project’s possible effects on water availability, food security, environmental stability,…

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