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Express Tribune
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Govt official martyred in Surab terror siege
During the attack, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Hidayat Baloch Buledi stood his ground to protect others, ultimately sacrificing his life in the line of duty. PHOTO: Listen to article A senior district administration official was martyred after heavily armed terrorists, belonging to Fitna al Hindustan, launched a coordinated attack on a bank and the residences of government officers in Surab, Balochistan, officials said on Friday. Shahid Rind, a spokesperson for the provincial government, and Hamza Shafqaat, the commissioner of Quetta, confirmed that Hidayatullah Buledi, the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Surab district, was martyred while fighting the terrorists. Officials and witnesses stated that 20 to 30 terrorists of Fitna al Hindustan entered the market of Surab city on motorcycles in the evening and targeted soft civilian areas such as banks and markets. Ordinary Baloch women and children were also attacked in the market, they added. "Heavily armed militants launched a coordinated assault on a bank and the residences of senior government officers in Surab Bazaar," spokesperson Rind said in a statement. "The attackers looted the bank and set fire to several official residences," he added. During the attack, Rind said, ADC Revenue Hidayatullah Baloch Buledi was martyred while resisting the terrorists. He said that women and children were present in the ADC's residence at the time of the assault. However, despite the presence of his family members, Buledi stood firm against the attackers. He paid rich tribute to Buledi, saying that the ADC fought valiantly to protect Baloch children and women from the terrorists and ultimately laid down his life in the line of duty. "He has set a new example of bravery by sacrificing his life for the nation," Rind said. "Deputy Commissioner Surab compound was attacked. Unfortunately, Additional Deputy Commissioner Mr Hidayat Buledi embraced martyrdom. The attack was carried out by Fitna al Hindustan. Mr Buledi was a LUMS alumnus. Levies and other law enforcement agencies valiantly fought them back," Shafqaat tweeted. According to Rind, the attack was not a random act of violence but part of a calculated attempt to destabilise the province. "This operation was carried out by Indian-backed proxies. It is a clear effort to challenge the state's authority and spread fear," he asserted. "By targeting Baloch areas and Baloch women and children, Fitna al Hindustan has once again proven that these Indian-sponsored terrorists have no connection with Balochistan and Baloch traditions," the spokesperson stated. "Indian proxies have taken action on their orders." Security forces, including the Frontier Corps (FC), police and Levies, promptly reached the spot and launched a joint clearance operation. "Search and clearance operations are ongoing, and the enemies of peace will be brought to justice," the spokesperson said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the cowardly attack on innocent citizens, officers of the administration, and a bank by terrorists in Surab. He paid tribute to ADC Hidayatullah Buledi for embracing martyrdom while defending his area from terrorists. The prime minister expressed sympathy with the bereaved family members of the martyr. "ADC Hidayatullah Buledi set an example of bravery while fighting against the terrorists. The sympathies of the whole nation are with the family of the martyred," he said in a statement. Shehbaz said that terrorists had targeted innocent and unarmed citizens, including children and women. "The attack by cowardly terrorists on the citizens and their properties is openly and evidently reflective of their animosity towards the people and the progress of Balochistan," he said. "The war against terrorists will continue until their complete elimination from the country. The armed forces of Pakistan are working day and night to exterminate the proxies who are spreading terrorism in Pakistan under the patronage of India," the prime minister stated. "The whole nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in completely wiping out the elements involved in terrorism with the abetment of India." He directed that the persons involved in the incident be identified and given exemplary punishment. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Pakistan's power sector indigenization need of the hour: Awais Leghari
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said on Saturday that government is striving for exports-oriented economy instead of imports and power sector indigenization is need of the hour. He added that power sector reforms are going on, while independent system and market operator has been fully functional and Energy Infrastructure Development and Management Company will also be made functional soon. He was addressing through a video link the national consultative workshop on 'Power Sector Indigenization Road Map' jointly hosted by National Grid Company (NGC), formerly NTDC, and LUMS (Lahore University of Management Sciences) Energy Institute here at the LUMS campus. The event brought together senior leadership from the power sector, manufacturing industry, regulatory bodies, policymakers and academia to chart a cohesive national strategy for accelerating the localization of Pakistan's electrical power equipment manufacturing ecosystem. The Federali Minister commended the joint initiative, stating, 'NGC is the first national entity to implement an approved Indigenization Policy, and its strategic procurement model is already delivering tangible results'. He urged WAPDA, DISCOs (Distribution Companies), KE (Karachi Electric), and state-owned and private power generation plants to adopt indigenization as a strategic imperative—not as CSR, but as a core procurement principle aligned with the National Electricity Plan 2023–2027. A key milestone of the workshop was the launch of Pakistan's first Power Equipment Manufacturing Dashboard, developed by the LUMS Energy Institute with input from power sector stakeholders. This real-time digital tool will monitor localization progress, assess vendor capacity, and identify strategic investment opportunities under the Power Sector Indigenization Plan (PSIP). The dashboard was jointly inaugurated by Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Chairman NGC Board of Directors, and Senior Advisor at the LUMS Energy Institute, Pakistan Engineering Council Chairman Engineer Waseem Nazir, Managing Director NGC Engineer Muhammad Waseem Younas, CEO K-Electric Syed Monis Abdullah Alvi and others. About the Dashboard, Federal Minister said that the launch of this dashboard is a welcome step and it will help in power sector indigenization. Dr Fiaz Chaudhry stated, 'NGC's indigenization strategy—anchored in policy reform and targeted educational orders—has already saved over USD 10 million in foreign exchange through import substitution.' He reaffirmed that LUMS will continue supporting policy design, digital innovation, and institutional transformation in the energy sector. Pakistan's market for static transmission and substations is currently valued at around USD 8 million. This figure, however, does not reflect the true scale of our potential. 'We must work to expand this market at least threefolds through strategic development, innovation, and local industrial growth. At the same time, we should set a clear target of achieving no less than USD 16 million in exports from this sector. That is the level of ambition we must embrace to position ourselves competitively on the global stage,' he maintained.
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Power sector indigenization need of the hour: Awais Leghari
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said on Saturday that government is striving for exports-oriented economy instead of imports and power sector indigenization is need of the hour. He added that power sector reforms are going on, while independent system and market operator has been fully functional and Energy Infrastructure Development and Management Company will also be made functional soon. He was addressing through a video link the national consultative workshop on 'Power Sector Indigenization Road Map' jointly hosted by National Grid Company (NGC), formerly NTDC, and LUMS (Lahore University of Management Sciences) Energy Institute here at the LUMS campus. The event brought together senior leadership from the power sector, manufacturing industry, regulatory bodies, policymakers and academia to chart a cohesive national strategy for accelerating the localization of Pakistan's electrical power equipment manufacturing ecosystem. The Federali Minister commended the joint initiative, stating, 'NGC is the first national entity to implement an approved Indigenization Policy, and its strategic procurement model is already delivering tangible results'. He urged WAPDA, DISCOs (Distribution Companies), KE (Karachi Electric), and state-owned and private power generation plants to adopt indigenization as a strategic imperative—not as CSR, but as a core procurement principle aligned with the National Electricity Plan 2023–2027. A key milestone of the workshop was the launch of Pakistan's first Power Equipment Manufacturing Dashboard, developed by the LUMS Energy Institute with input from power sector stakeholders. This real-time digital tool will monitor localization progress, assess vendor capacity, and identify strategic investment opportunities under the Power Sector Indigenization Plan (PSIP). The dashboard was jointly inaugurated by Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Chairman NGC Board of Directors, and Senior Advisor at the LUMS Energy Institute, Pakistan Engineering Council Chairman Engineer Waseem Nazir, Managing Director NGC Engineer Muhammad Waseem Younas, CEO K-Electric Syed Monis Abdullah Alvi and others. About the Dashboard, Federal Minister said that the launch of this dashboard is a welcome step and it will help in power sector indigenization. Dr Fiaz Chaudhry stated, 'NGC's indigenization strategy—anchored in policy reform and targeted educational orders—has already saved over USD 10 million in foreign exchange through import substitution.' He reaffirmed that LUMS will continue supporting policy design, digital innovation, and institutional transformation in the energy sector. Pakistan's market for static transmission and substations is currently valued at around USD 8 million. This figure, however, does not reflect the true scale of our potential. 'We must work to expand this market at least threefolds through strategic development, innovation, and local industrial growth. At the same time, we should set a clear target of achieving no less than USD 16 million in exports from this sector. That is the level of ambition we must embrace to position ourselves competitively on the global stage,' he maintained.
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Workshop on Power Sector held at LUMS
LAHORE: The National Grid Company of Pakistan (NGC), formerly NTDC in collaboration with the LUMS Energy Institute, successfully convened the National Consultative Workshop on the Power Sector Indigenization Roadmap at LUMS. The high-profile event brought together senior leadership from the power sector, manufacturing industry, regulatory bodies, policymakers and academia to chart a cohesive national strategy for accelerating the localization of Pakistan's electrical power equipment manufacturing ecosystem. Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari addressed the workshop through video link and commended the joint initiative, stating, 'NGC is the first national entity to implement an approved Indigenization Policy, and its strategic procurement model is already delivering tangible results'. He urged WAPDA, DISCOs, KE, and state-owned and private power generation plants to adopt indigenization as a strategic imperative not as CSR, but as a core procurement principle aligned with the National Electricity Plan 2023–2027. A key milestone of the workshop was the launch of Pakistan's first Power Equipment Manufacturing Dashboard, developed by the LUMS Energy Institute with input from power sector stakeholders. This real-time digital tool will monitor localization progress, assess vendor capacity, and identify strategic investment opportunities under the Power Sector Indigenization Plan (PSIP). The dashboard was jointly inaugurated by Dr Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Chairman, Board of Directors, NGC, and Senior Advisor at the LUMS Energy Institute, Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council Engr Waseem Nazir and Managing Director NGC Engr Muhammad Waseem Younas. Dr Chaudhry stated, 'NGC's indigenization strategy anchored in policy reform and targeted educational orders has already saved over USD 10 million in foreign exchange through import substitution.' He reaffirmed that LUMS will continue supporting policy design, digital innovation, and institutional transformation in the energy sector. He said that under the ten-year Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) and Transmission Exposition Plan (TSEP), investment of US$8 billion would be needed in the transmission sector. We want these equipment and material to be manufactured in Pakistan, which will save valuable foreign exchange. Managing Director NGC, Engr Muhammad Waseem Younas, outlined the tangible progress under the Indigenization Policy. Since 2022, NGC has placed over PKR 2 billion in local orders, including PKR 781 million in educational orders aimed at building industrial capacity. Additionally, NGC's revision of its Type Test Policy in 2023 to align with international benchmarks has opened the door for local manufacturers to compete globally. The workshop featured a distinguished panel of institutional leaders, including Dr Tahir Masood, Chairman BOD, IESCO; Engr Abid Latif Lodhi, MD, PPMC; Syed Moonis Abdullah Alvi, CEO, K-Electric; Dhanpat Kotak, Chairman BOD, NPPMC; and Mian Suhail Husain, former BOD member, EDB, among other senior representatives from regulatory institutions and industry. The discussions addressed bottlenecks to localization across the generation, transmission, and distribution value chain, and explored enabling policies for the manufacturing sector. Dr Tariq Jadoon, Provost, LUMS, added, 'LUMS stands committed as a national platform for evidence-based policymaking, innovation, and industry transformation.' Dr Naveed Arshad, Director, LUMS Energy Institute and BoD Member, NGC, noted, 'LEI is helping to reimagine energy localization through interdisciplinary R&D.' The workshop concluded with consensus on actionable steps to align procurement practices with national localization goals, foster technology partnerships, and create a clear roadmap for import substitution. Dedicated sessions assessed the readiness of local manufacturers, outlined investment needs, and proposed mechanisms to improve coordination between utilities, government, and academia. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
LUMS hosts fourth annual Practicum Showcase Conference
LAHORE: The Syed Ahsan Ali and Syed Maratib Ali School of Education (SOE) at LUMS hosted its fourth annual Practicum Showcase Conference, featuring capstone projects by MPhil Education Leadership and Management students on April 28, 2025. The showcased work reflected year-long collaborative efforts with partner organisations, addressing real-world challenges in the education sector. The conference brought together over 400 participants, including faculty members, MPhil students, senior LUMS administration, representatives from partner organisations, and education sector experts. The one-day conference featured workshops and a gallery of student presentations across diverse fields such as pedagogy, inclusive education, leadership, educational technology, art education, community development, and early childhood education. There were multiple panel discussions that explored pressing challenges in the education sector and potential practical solutions. Addressing an eager audience, keynote speaker Ms. Baela Raza Jamil, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi, shared, 'The colonial, factory-model school system wasn't built for the world we live in today. We need bold, local solutions that speak to our realities. Education must engage the mind, heart, and gut—through strong socio-emotional learning. It's only through meaningful partnerships between citizens, governments, and institutions like LUMS that we can truly re-imagine education for the future.' At the closing ceremony, Dr. Tayyaba Tamim, Dean of SOE, reflected on the significance of academic-practitioner collaboration and the broader goals of the conference, stating, 'We celebrate the culmination of the MPhil journey for our graduating students. None of this would have been possible without the invaluable support of our partner organisations. This conference is a space to engage with issues that matter deeply to us. I urge you to keep one vital element at the center—teacher wellbeing. Let us humanise our systems, our policies, and our practices. Finally, we must continue to strengthen the bridges between schools and universities.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
