Category: Popular News

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

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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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World Bank Charts Energy Efficiency Roadmap for Pakistan’s Industrial Sectors

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ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has unveiled a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and reducing emissions across five key industrial sectors in Pakistan. The newly released report, “Pakistan Energy Efficiency: Industrial Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation (EE\&D),” identifies substantial opportunities in the cement, steel, fertiliser, textile, and paper & pulp industries to cut energy costs and support the country’s climate goals. Developed from a study conducted between mid-2022 and 2023, the report seeks to inform government policy and guide energy conservation efforts. While some industries have already adopted efficiency measures,…

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Trina Storage Expands APAC Presence with Rapid Dual-Site BESS Deployment in Japan

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Trina Storage, a global leader in integrated battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions, has successfully commissioned its advanced Elementa 2 BESS at two utility-scale power plants in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture. This dual-site deployment marks a significant milestone in Trina Storage’s expanding footprint across the Asia-Pacific region, where it currently has over 2.4 GWh of BESS capacity under execution. Delivered and brought online in under three weeks, the Elementa 2 systems were deployed simultaneously at two separate locations—demonstrating Trina Storage’s agile and efficient delivery model. The execution combined the expertise of…

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Diesel Imports Surge Despite Sufficient Local Refinery Capacity

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petrol-price

KARACHI: Pakistan imported 2.03 million metric tonnes (MT) of high-speed diesel (HSD) during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025—200,000 MT more than the previous year—despite ample domestic refining capacity, prompting concerns of over-importation. Industry stakeholders have flagged the increase as unnecessary, noting that local refineries can meet 60–65% of the country’s diesel needs. According to sector data, the highest monthly import—306,000 MT—occurred in December, even though local production and PSO’s long-term import agreements were sufficient to meet demand. Sources alleged that a specific oil marketing company (OMC) was allowed…

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Planning Ministry Resists ECC’s Rs50bn Power Subsidy Directive

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ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has declined to implement the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) directive to allocate an additional Rs50 billion in subsidies to power consumers over a three-month period, citing legal and budgetary constraints under the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, 2019. According to sources, the Planning Ministry referred to correspondence from the Finance and Power Divisions, asserting that Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) funds are strictly designated for approved development projects. Although the Federal Cabinet had approved the reallocation on July 8, 2024, the…

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