Pakistan hesitant on IMF’s proposed carbon levy for clean energy transition

pak-imf

ISLAMABAD: On Monday, Pakistan showed reluctance towards imposing a carbon levy, a key proposal put forward by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF has suggested this tax as part of its conditions for a $1 billion loan under the Resilience and Sustainable Facility (RSF), aimed at supporting climate-vulnerable nations in disaster preparedness and energy transition. During the opening discussions to finalize the RSF, which focuses on disaster resilience, government officials expressed concerns about the potential negative impact of the levy on business growth. The IMF team is in Pakistan…

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PSA, Energy Update sign MoU to promote solar industry awareness & events

Solar-Modules

The Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) and Energy Update (EU) have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly organise events aimed at promoting renewable power sources in the country.The MoU will enable the PSA to act as a partner of the Energy Update to help it organise its forthcoming event, the 2nd International Solar Conclave and Technology Excellence Awards-2025. The two entities will collaborate to promote Pakistan’s solar energy sector. The PSA will utilise its networks and channels to promote the EU’s upcoming event aimed at discussing issues faced by Pakistan’s…

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No Passengers ,No planes china funded 240m Gwadar airport sits idle

Gwadar port

With no passengers and no planes, Pakistan’s newest and most expensive airport is a bit of a mystery. Entirely financed by China to the tune of $240 million, it’s anyone’s guess when New Gwadar International Airport will open for business. Located in the coastal city of Gwadar and completed in Oct 2024, its a stark contrast to the impoverished, restive southwestern BalochistanFor the past decade, China has poured money into Balochistan and Gwadar as part of a multibillion dollar project that connects its western Xinjiang province with Arabian Sea, called the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor or…

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Pakistan, Azerbaijan sign agreements, MOUs on trade and energy

trade and energy

Islamabad —  Pakistan and Azerbaijan have signed agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs), chiefly about trade and energy, during a visit to Azerbaijan by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Sharif arrived Sunday in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, for a two-day visit to hold talks with President Ilham Aliyev and other top officials. In a post on social media, the Pakistani leader said he had an “excellent meeting” with Aliyev, saying the two worked on finalizing a portfolio of investments Azerbaijan plans to make in Pakistan. Aliyev promised a $2 billion…

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Lost in transmission

Power-sector

Pakistan’s power transmission system serves as the backbone of the electricity sector, facilitating the transfer of electricity from power generation plants to consumers across the country. However, despite significant investments in generation capacity, the transmission network remains outdated, inefficient and increasingly strained, preventing the effective delivery of electricity where it is needed the most. The country has invested heavily in expanding power generation, particularly in coal, nuclear and renewable energy projects, but the benefits of this expansion remain unrealised due to severe transmission bottlenecks. The National Transmission & Despatch Company…

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