In this photo, taken and published by Karachi Port Trust, a container ship is docked at the Karachi Port in Karachi on May 29, 2024. Photo: KPT
KARACHI:
The first Pakistani ship to transit the Strait of Hormuz after its closure entered the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman and reached Pakistan’s maritime zone, carrying a cargo of 80 million liters of crude oil.
The oil tanker MT Karachi crossed the strategically sensitive route after Iran closed it following attacks by the United States and Israel. This is the first Pakistani ship to successfully cross the strait under the current circumstances and enter the country’s territorial waters.
The ship is expected to dock at Karachi port on Wednesday. Officials said MT Karachi had obtained special permission from Iranian authorities to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, using Iranian territorial waters during its passage.
The Pakistan Navy provided maritime security to the vessel throughout its journey, ensuring safe navigation in this sensitive corridor. The tanker left the port of Das Island, United Arab Emirates, on February 28.
According to international media reports, payment for crude oil transported by MT Karachi was made in Chinese currency.
PM orders strengthening of fuel supply chain
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday ordered authorities to strengthen the supply chain of oil imports and ordered all relevant institutions to remain ready to take emergency measures, as the government took steps to safeguard energy supplies amid an escalating crisis in the Middle East.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review fuel conservation and austerity measures, the Prime Minister was informed that the country currently holds sufficient stocks of petroleum products to meet national needs, despite growing regional uncertainty and supply chain disruptions.
Officials informed participants that the government’s previously announced energy-saving and austerity measures were being fully implemented, with the Prime Minister’s Office saying compliance was closely monitored.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) should submit regular monitoring reports to ensure implementation of these guidelines, officials said at the meeting, adding that authorities were maintaining records of oil stocks and closely monitoring the situation for any irregularities.
They said a daily fuel reserve review system had also been put in place to maintain monitoring of the changing energy landscape. In a broader assessment, they added, Pakistan remains in an adequate position in terms of fuel availability.
According to the briefing, Pakistan’s fuel requirements for March have been fully met and supply coverage has been ensured until mid-April under the current import and cargo planning, with efforts underway to further expand this reserve.
Apart from fuel supplies, the Prime Minister was informed that sufficient stocks of medicines were also available across the country, while the Ministry of Information Technology finalized arrangements to support the government’s e-office systems and work-from-home operations.
Separately, Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting on Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), during which he approved the restructuring of PARC.
Shehbaz ordered that a comprehensive restructuring plan for PARC be prepared with a defined timeline and further demanded that the organization become a premier agricultural research institution on the lines of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
The meeting received a detailed briefing on transforming PARC into a dynamic institution aligned with the demands of modern agricultural research, as part of a broader reform agenda aimed at making it more effective in meeting national food needs.
(WITH INPUT FROM THE APPLICATION)
