Latest news with #Pakistanis'
National Observer
23-07-2025
- Business
- National Observer
Pakistan's solar revolution is bringing power to the people
This story was originally published by Yale Environment 360 and appears here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration Solar power is booming in Pakistan. Its share of electricity generation more than tripled in just three years, climbing from four percent in 2021 to 14 percent in 2024 — one of the highest percentages in Asia, according to a Reuters analysis of data from the British research group Ember. And panel imports doubled in a single year, Ember reports, making Pakistan, with the world's fifth-largest population, one of the biggest solar markets in the world. A confluence of forces has driven this growth. Pakistanis had long lived with overpriced and unreliable power delivered by a creaking grid. When Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine caused gas and coal prices to spike, Pakistanis' bills jumped even higher — and then higher again when the government removed subsidies that had cushioned consumers from the worst of those hikes. At the same time, a glut of cheap Chinese solar panels gave many Pakistanis an alternative to grid power for the first time. Renewables First, an energy and environment think tank in Islamabad, has not only been tracking Pakistan's solar revolution, it is also pressing for policy changes that would make its transition faster and smoother. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, program director Muhammad Mustafa Amjad says reforms that increase grid flexibility and better match supply with demand would make cheap, clean energy available to more people while preventing further price hikes for those still reliant on centrally provided power. If officials begin to better coordinate its transition, Amjad believes, Pakistan's experience can be a model for other developing nations. 'Global South countries don't have to be the laggards,' he says. 'They can actually be the leaders of the energy transition.' Yale Environment 360: Can you give me a sense of how big and how fast the recent growth in Pakistanis' solar power use has been? Muhammad Mustafa Amjad: It's quite unprecedented in terms of speed and scale. Pakistan has imported almost 45 gigawatts worth of solar panels over the last five or six years, which is equal to the total capacity of its electricity grid. Almost 34 gigawatts have come in only in the last couple of years. The world's fifth-largest population is adopting solar technology at scale — a shift being driven primarily by affordability. "It's a very bottom-up revolution," says one expert. "Renewables are out-competing the traditional sources of energy." It's a very bottom-up revolution. This is not government deciding this is the route to take. And it's not being driven by climate concerns, it's all about the economics. Renewables are out-competing the traditional sources of energy. So all of a sudden, it makes financial sense to adopt renewables, to double down on renewables. Energy transitions in the Global South were always seen as being very top-down, with financial institutions and banks and the International Monetary Fund coming in and piloting projects, pushing governments for policies to encourage clean energy. Now, all of a sudden it's the people and markets that have decided solar is the solution. e360: How did this massive adoption of solar come about? Amjad: A lot of factors came together to create a perfect storm of conditions. At the core, it's because electricity from the grid was so expensive. The price went up almost 155 percent over the last few years. People were paying more for electricity than they were for rent. At the same time, China was producing a glut of solar panels, and Chinese companies were competing for new markets. Pakistan was lucrative for them because of our large [251 million] population. And the Pakistani government helped by not taxing Chinese solar panels. So people were looking for cheaper alternatives and they found one in solar. It's becoming a part of a nice dance now. Any new construction includes a solar power system. I was talking to a politician the other day from a remote area, and she said, 'Previously, constituents always asked us for sewing machines' they could use to earn money. 'Now they ask for a solar panel.' It's no longer a luxury item. It's become a necessity. In some parts of the country, it's customary for a family to give a dowry when their daughter gets married. Now, along with a TV and a washing machine, solar panels are part and parcel of this. e360: In 2022, 40 million Pakistanis still didn't have access to electricity. And the grid is unreliable even for those who are connected. What has it been like to live with those problems, and how did they help drive people toward solar? Amjad: We call it load shedding, it's essentially rolling blackouts. The power could be shut off for an hour, for four hours, six hours. There were certain rural areas where load shedding was in excess of 12 to 14 hours per day. And we have lots of areas where grid access isn't really available at all. So people were depending on diesel generators. They were on the lookout for something cleaner and cheaper. e360: Who's buying solar panels, and where? Amjad: This is across the spectrum. In the cities, whoever owns a home, they've already solarized or are intending to solarize or are saving for solar. It's expected for the cities and the rich to lead the way. But the people who benefit the most from it are the ones who were not connected to the grid or had less reliable service. That's where the sun has impacted lots of lived realities. A couple of case studies done in some villages in lower Punjab and upper Sindh found almost 50 percent of the households there have already solarized. These are massive numbers. There was one story where people put a solar system on the back of a tractor and it was being shared between three different households that [used] it to charge their fans and stuff. Another case study, people were using a panel during the day for field work, education work, and then at the end of the day the farmer would take it back to his house. That kind of mixed use, and sharing mechanisms — that's the true revolution that has happened. But a lot more needs to be done to improve access. The government could play a role by providing subsidized systems or loans for poorer households. e360: What are people doing with the power they're now able to generate? Amjad: Our farmers depend on irrigation systems. There are almost 2 million tube wells across Pakistan, and some estimates suggest almost half have already been solarized. Primarily because the wells are usually community owned — so a tube well for a whole village or for six to seven fields. People can club money together, or [the system is] owned by wealthy landlords who have enough spare capital. And the shift is often from a diesel generator to solar, so it makes more sense than going from the grid to solar. Another big area is cooling. Pakistan is a very climate-vulnerable country, and with the extreme temperatures we are experiencing, people want air conditioning and inverters, which are an energy-efficient type of fan. So a lot of lifestyles have been improved. It's also important to understand the battery revolution that's happening. Pakistan has imported almost $95 million worth of batteries in the last three months. So this solar rush is going to be followed by a battery rush, and together they'll create a whole parallel system where people will have a lot more control over their electricity. And after the battery revolution, very soon we'll be talking about an electric vehicle revolution. Pakistan is a huge market for three-wheelers and two-wheelers, it's ripe for electrification. e360: Why has the price of grid power been so high in Pakistan? Amjad: In the 2010s, Pakistan got a lot of private operators to set up thermal power plants, mainly coal and gas, and we offered them quite lucrative deals. These are long-term contracts — 20 or 25 years [in which the government must pay even when the plants' power is not needed]. Then when the Russia-Ukraine crisis began, fuel prices shot up for both gas and coal. And because of fiscal troubles, the government agreed to an IMF loan package that required removal of electricity subsidies for consumers, which had shielded them from some of the expense. So all the costs had to be passed on. e360: With more people generating their own power, there is concern that Pakistan's utilities are losing operating revenue. What would the implications of that be? Amjad: Over the past year we've seen a 4 to 5 percent decrease in grid demand. As more people defect from the grid, the total costs are shared by a smaller number of consumers. So grid electricity gets more expensive, and more consumers leave. This creates what's called a utility death spiral. And we don't want those left on the grid to have to pay for this. So we need massive reform. In developed countries with a high percentage of renewables in some regions, government agencies have had to modernize themselves and put the right infrastructure in place. In Pakistan, it's been very unregulated, unstructured. That needs to change within the next two years — otherwise all the inefficiencies, and the mismanagement and lack of planning are going to cause that spiral, and those who still rely on the grid will bear the cost. We need a lot of action by the government and utilities to prevent that. It's still not too late for the grid to adapt. Utilities have always believed energy is best provided by big power plants, a lot of firm capacity and base load. Now it's more about flexible supply to meet flexible demand. It's a very different equation. A lot of unlearning has to happen. The grid has to reinvent itself and start providing the support required for distributed [decentralized] generation — balancing and demand-supply management and all of those flexibility options, even utility-level batteries. It's quite ambitious, but there is no other option for Pakistan. e360: Will solar power displace energy from fossil fuels, or is it additive? Amjad: Fossil fuels are already being displaced. The coal power plants have become stranded assets — they're being utilized at rates under 20 percent. We have gas-fired power plants where utilization is as low as 15 percent. e360: What can other Global South countries learn from Pakistan's experience? Amjad: Pakistan wasn't expecting to do this for at least 10 or 20 years. It was always supposed to be the U.S. and China and Europe first. But Global South countries can actually be the leaders of the energy transition. Pakistan is proving just that. We've positioned ourselves as early adopters. It's an excellent model because a lot of the conditions we've seen here — like the supply glut from China — exist for other developing economies, too. I think what they can do is plan for it accordingly, with certain safeguards, certain mechanisms. Government can proactively play a role. This is a revolution to celebrate. There's a lot that could be improved on, a lot that can be learned from our experience. I hope we'll be able to talk about Pakistan as a good example, not as 'things to avoid, or things not to do.' But that depends on how we go about our work in the next few years.
Express Tribune
16-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Efforts underway to revive PIA: Khawaja Asif
Listen to article Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said efforts are under way to revive Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), including restoring its New York flight, as part of broader plans to privatise the national carrier and rebuild its reputation. He credited Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's leadership for what he called a 'historic milestone' and announced that the airline would soon be offered to private bidders as a fully functional and valuable asset. Earlier today, United Kingdom removed Pakistan from its Air Safety List, clearing the way for Pakistani airlines to apply for flight operations to the country. 'We are completing all essential processes first to increase the airline's market value,' he said, adding that the government had closely followed the guidance of aviation regulators to ease future approvals. Asif confirmed that once privatised, PIA would be equipped with new aircraft and given fresh international routes. 'Overseas Pakistanis will be able to travel home more easily,' he said. 'Both time and cost of travel will be reduced.' He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif personally monitored the revival process and received regular updates. 'Many friends and colleagues worked hard to make this possible,' defence minister said. 'Today marks a historic and memorable day.' Read: UK removes Pakistan from air safety list The minister noted that PIA once transported deceased Pakistanis' bodies free of charge, a service now lost. 'Now families have to spend thousands of dollars,' he said. 'It was a shock for the Pakistani diaspora. Many have now purchased burial plots abroad.' Asif placed blame for PIA's decline on the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. 'A ban was imposed on us during their tenure,' he said. 'Ghulam Sarwar criticised his own department and effectively invited international bodies to impose a ban on Pakistan's airline.' 'To this day, he has not offered any explanation for his remarks,' Asif said. 'Imran Khan is also responsible for this outcome.' He said the ban caused financial losses worth billions of rupees, but more damaging was the blow to national dignity. 'Our trained staff had helped establish other airlines in the region,' he noted. 'One individual erased all of that hard-earned reputation. What was his reason? That remains a troubling question.' Asif said the issue was now being resolved and confirmed that Airblue had also been granted permission to operate internationally. He praised the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), saying the European Union had regained confidence in the body. He also lauded Khawaja Saad Rafique for his contributions to aviation reform over the past two to three years. 'Today, we stand vindicated,' he concluded.
Business Recorder
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Big surge in remittances
It is indeed a matter of great satisfaction that workers' remittances have increased by 26.6 percent to hit a record US$38.3 billion during the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2025 as compared to the US$30.3 billion in the corresponding period of last year. Moreover, on a year-on-year basis, the workers' remittances soared by 7.9 percent to US$3.406 billion in June 2025, compared US$3.158 billion during the same month of last year. The overseas Pakistanis, in my view, deserve a lot of commendation and praise for remitting to their motherland s foreign exchange that helps the government meet its external debt and import bill obligations. In other words, workers' remittances have been playing a crucial role in stabilizing the external sector, contributing to foreign exchange reserves, and supporting economic development. In my view, therefore, the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, is spot on when he attributes the current surge in workers' remittances as a strong reflection of expatriate Pakistanis' valuable contributions and their confidence in the national economy. Sidra Husain (Karachi) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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First Post
07-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- First Post
Wild love: Why rich Pakistanis keep lions and other exotic animals as pets
A 'pet' lion attacked a woman and her three children in Pakistan recently. Big cats, such as lions, have become a craze in cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. But why do people want these dangerous exotic animals as pets? read more In this picture taken on May 20, 2019, Bilal Mansoor Khawaja, a private zoo owner, sits with his white lion in Karachi. File Photo/AFP Forget dogs and cats, the elite in Pakistan are obsessed with keeping exotic animals as pets. From white lions to tigers, an array of wild animals are present in cities like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. However, this 'love' for the exotic has landed the owners of a pet lion in trouble after the big cat escaped and attacked a woman and her three young children in Lahore recently. The police have now arrested the owners of the lion, accusing them of keeping a wild animal without a licence and negligence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is not a rare incident. Videos of Pakistanis taking their pet exotic animals on a drive have gone viral. A pet escaping and roaming residential streets is also not new. But why do Pakistanis have exotic animals as pets? We will explain. Rich Pakistanis' craze for exotic animals Wealthy Pakistanis love to flex their fortunes — not just through their cars and clothes but by keeping wild animals as pets. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, deer, bears, wolves and even giraffes can be found in neighbourhoods in Pakistani cities. 'If one lives in Pakistan and wants to be famous, he must have a lion, which can earn him the top level of fame,' a wealthy entrepreneur in Karachi, on the condition of anonymity, told The Telegraph in 2019. He claimed that the trend began in Lahore and later took over Pakistan's commercial hub. 'The wealthy people in Karachi took inspiration and today there are several farmhouses and big villas where one may find lions,' the owner said. 'The lions have taken the place of other pet animals. I have seen a major surge and several people I know have purchased lions.' Social media is rife with videos of rich Pakistanis cruising with lions in the front seats of luxury SUVs. In 2020, Karachi's posh residential area called Defence grabbed eyeballs after videos of two giraffes living in the garden of a house surfaced. A 'pet' leopard was seen at a residential area in Islamabad in 2023, jumping over walls and running around cars in panic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Leopard attacked a pedestrian in DHA 2, luckily he didn't suffer any life threatening injury. Just couple of days back a leopard was sighted in Bahria Enclave Islamabad aswell, please stop occupying their lands. STOP DEFORESTATION. — Wahid Zia. (@OmniscientXo) February 16, 2023 Bilal Mansoor Khawaja, a Karachi-based industrialist in his 30s, has a personal 'zoo' featuring over 800 different species. He told AFP in 2019 that his collection of more than 4,000 animals was not about status or prestige but reflected his 'love' for pets. 'We Pakistanis have a problem: where our heart is soft, it's very soft. Where it's hard, it's very hard,' he said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD His nine-acre property, which is in the middle of a dense neighbourhood in the megacity, hosts zebras, flamingos, and horses, among other animals. Bilal Mansoor Khawaja (L), a private zoo owner, looks at his white lion in Karachi, on May 20, 2019. File Photo/AFP According to Khawaja, there could be 300 lions within Karachi itself, housed in gardens, rooftop cages, and farmhouses. Big cats have historically been seen as a symbol of power and wealth in the South Asian country. Politicians in Pakistan are also notorious for using wild animals to flaunt their fortune. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's party has even brought lions and tigers to its rallies as mascots. A few politicians have also earned the title of Sher-e-Punjab – the lion of Pakistan's Punjab province. Concerns in Pakistan over exotic animals as pets Pakistan allows keeping lions, cheetahs, tigers, pumas and jaguars as pets after registering them and paying a one-time fee of PKR 50,000 (Rs 15,042) per animal. Exotic animals are imported from countries like South Africa. Pakistan has lax laws for importing wild animals, but once they are inside the country, there are nearly no regulations. The laws that protect local animals do not extend to imported species, according to The Express Tribune. Animals such as African lions, pythons, and eagles can be easily found on Facebook. Some dealers operate on WhatsApp, showcasing animals available for sale, reported Sputnik India. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking to AFP in 2019, exotic animal dealer Aleem Paracha said he could deliver a white lion to a client for PKR 1.4 million (Rs 421,168.5) in up to 48 hours. Some breeders are 'lion farming' and can provide the wild animal on short notice. The trend has become a headache for wildlife conservationists, who allege that these animals are not being properly cared for by their owners. Veterinarian Isma Gheewala told AFP that she has treated hundreds of big cats over the years suffering from calcium deficiencies. 'The bones become extremely brittle. And even if they jump like a foot down, they will injure some bone or the other and then it takes a long time for the animals to recover,' she said. In another worry, traders are also selling lion body parts. Lion fat is being used in medicine to relieve muscular and joint pain. Lion claws and nails are also up for purchase. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While Khawaja, who owns a private zoo, claimed he was not doing any harm by removing the exotic animals from their natural habitat, conservationists disagree. World Wildlife Fund's Uzma Khan told AFP: 'An animal in captivity is not the way it is in the wild. What's the point of having an animal which is not hunting, which is in a cage not showing its natural behaviour?' Frenzy over exotic pets beyond Pakistan Keeping exotic animals as pets is not limited to Pakistan. The trend seems to be growing in West Asia and Europe, with owners displaying their swanky lifestyle and their wild pets on social media. In 2018, police in Paris had arrested a man driving a lion cub in his Lamborghini along the Champs-Élysées. Emirati influencer Humaid Albuqaish regularly posts pictures and videos of his lions or tigers on Instagram and TikTok. He charges $200 (Rs 17,163) to visitors seeking to pet one of his wild animals, as per Semafor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Cheetahs, tigers, lions, and other big cats have become the status symbol across the Gulf. Young men can feel like a nobody if they do not have an exotic pet. Chris Draper, former head of animal welfare and captivity at Born Free, the international wildlife charity, told The Telegraph this phenomenon is fuelling a trade of trafficking that is threatening wild animals. He said these animals are poorly cared for and abandoned, or worse, if their owners no longer care for them. He said the majority 'will have their roots in the wild, either directly, or perhaps one generation away. It's a vast trade, it's a cruel trade.' Dr Draper said that keeping big cats as pets was 'detrimental on every level'. 'It needs to be ended and not be seen as the slightly comical thing that you might see on YouTube or Instagram of somebody with a pet lion at a birthday party,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Dr Draper warned that big cats can be aggressive and cause injuries, just because of their sheer size. But while conservationists flag the issue of keeping the exotic as pets, will the uber-wealthy chasing social media likes and shares listen? With inputs from agencies
Business Recorder
05-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Overseas Pakistanis to be taxed as filers on property deals
ISLAMABAD: The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has clarified that the rate of advance income tax on purchase and sale of immovable properties by overseas Pakistanis would be 'filer rate' even if they are 'non-filer'. The FBR has issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the tax rates on buying and selling of immovable properties by overseas Pakistanis. According to the FBR, for overseas Pakistanis the rate of advance income tax on purchase and sale of immovable properties under sections 236C and 236K shall be 'filer rate' even if they are 'non-filer' subject to the following conditions:(I) They are holding POC or NICOP; (ii) They are non-resident in Pakistan meaning their stay in a financial year in Pakistan is less than 183 days. Investments in real estate: Overseas Pakistanis now eligible for exemption from higher tax rates The advance income tax under sections 236C and 236K at the time of transfer of immovable properties differ depending on the fair market value of the immovable properties, as well as the status of a person who has filed his income tax return and a person who filed late or did not file at all. The FBR explained that the overseas Pakistanis who are holding POC or NICOP can avail 'filer rate' under sections 236C and 236K by following procedure: The concerned Authority, Registrar or a housing Society who is responsible for registering, transferring or recording the immovable property shall click on the 'Overseas Pakistanis' link on FBR's web portal to create a PSID (payment slip identity). The system shall redirect the person to a form to declare his POC or NICOP No and the system will fetch automatically his details such as name and address; upload scanned copy of his POC or NICOP; and his status as 'resident' or 'non-resident' and can upload documents in support thereof. The system shall digitally make the PSID available in the IRIS digital inbox of the concerned Commissioner for approval. The Commissioner shall verify the documents attached, approve after verification and inform the person who created PSID by email and SMS. The system shall allow the person to make payment of advance income tax at 'filer rate' despite being a 'non-filer,' the FBR added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
