In this handout photo, taken and released by the Karachi Port Trust, a container ship docks at the Karachi port in Karachi on May 29, 2024. Photo: KPT
KARACHI:
The first Pakistani vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after its closure has entered the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman and reached Pakistan’s maritime zone with a consignment of 80 million liters of crude oil.
The oil tanker, MT Karachi, was crossing the strategically sensitive route after Iran closed it in the wake of attacks by the US and Israel. It is the first Pakistani ship to successfully pass through the strait under the prevailing circumstances and enter the country’s territorial waters.
The ship is scheduled to dock at Karachi port on Wednesday. Officials said the MT Karachi was given special permission by the 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 the voyage and ensured safe navigation through the sensitive corridor. The tanker had departed from Das Island port in the United Arab Emirates on 28 February.
According to international media, the payment for the crude oil carried by MT Karachi was made in Chinese currency.
PM orders strengthening of fuel supply chain
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed authorities to strengthen the supply chain for oil imports and ordered all relevant institutions to remain ready for emergency measures as the government moved to secure energy supplies amid the 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 has sufficient stocks of petroleum products to meet national requirements, despite rising regional insecurity and supply chain disruptions.
Officials briefed the meeting that the government’s previously announced energy savings and austerity measures were fully implemented, and the Prime Minister’s Office stated that compliance was closely followed.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is set to present regular monitoring reports to ensure the enforcement of these directives, officials told the meeting, adding that authorities were maintaining records of oil stocks and closely monitoring the situation to detect any irregularities.
They said a system of daily reviews of fuel reserves has also been put in place to maintain oversight of the evolving energy landscape. In a broader assessment, they added, Pakistan remains adequately positioned in terms of fuel availability.
According to the briefing, Pakistan’s fuel requirements for March were fully secured and supply coverage has been secured by mid-April under existing import and cargo planning, with efforts to further expand this buffer.
Apart from fuel supplies, the Prime Minister was informed that adequate stocks of medicines were also available nationwide, while the Ministry of Information Technology has implemented schemes to support government e-office systems and work from home.
Separately, Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting on the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), where he approved the restructuring of PARC.
Shehbaz directed that a comprehensive restructuring plan be drawn up for PARC with a defined timeline and further directed that the organization be developed into a premier agricultural research institution on the model of the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
The meeting was briefed in detail on transforming PARC into a dynamic institution attuned to the demands of modern agricultural research as part of a broader reform agenda to make it more effective in meeting national food requirements.
(WITH ACCESS FROM APP)
