In this handout photo, taken and released by Karachi Port Trust, a container ship sits docked at the Karachi Port in Karachi on May 29, 2024. Photo: KPT
KARACHI:
The first Pakistani vessel to transit through the Strait of Hormuz following its closure has entered the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Oman and reached Pakistan’s maritime zone, carrying a consignment of 80 million litres of crude oil.
The oil tanker, MT Karachi, crossed the strategically sensitive route after Iran had shut it in the wake of attacks by the United States 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 vessel is scheduled to berth at Karachi port on Wednesday. Officials said MT Karachi was granted special permission by Iranian authorities to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, utilising Iranian territorial waters during its passage.
The Pakistan Navy provided maritime security to the vessel throughout its journey, ensuring safe navigation through the sensitive corridor. The tanker had departed from Das Island port in the United Arab Emirates on February 28.
According to international media reports, 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 directed authorities on Tuesday to strengthen the petroleum import supply chain and ordered all relevant institutions to remain ready for emergency measures, as the government moved to safeguard energy supplies amid escalating Middle East crisis.
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 requirements, despite mounting regional uncertainty and supply chain disruptions.
Officials briefed the meeting that the government’s previously announced energy-saving and austerity measures were being implemented in full, with the Prime Minister’s Office stating that compliance was being closely tracked.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is set to present regular monitoring reports to ensure enforcement of these directives, officials told the meeting, adding that authorities were maintaining records of petroleum stocks and closely monitoring the situation to detect any irregularities.
They said that 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 ensured into mid-April under existing import and cargo planning, with efforts under way to extend this buffer further.
Besides fuel supplies, the prime minister was informed that adequate stocks of medicines were also available nationwide, while the Ministry of Information Technology has completed arrangements to support government e-office systems and work-from-home operations.
Separately, Shehbaz Sharif chaired a review meeting on the Ministry of National Food Security and Research and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), during which he approved the restructuring of PARC.
Shehbaz directed that a comprehensive restructuring plan for PARC be prepared with a defined timeline and further instructed that the organisation be developed into a leading agricultural research institution on the model of the China Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS).
The meeting was given 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 to make it more effective in meeting national food requirements.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)
