Wednesday, March 18 2026

Ministry of Commerce seeks action over Gerry’s Dnata additional cargo charges on meat exports
The Ministry of Commerce has formally sought the intervention of aviation authorities over complaints from meat exporters regarding additional logistics charges imposed on export consignments, marking a significant development in an ongoing dispute that industry representatives warn could disrupt Pakistan’s meat exports. In an official letter dated March 17, 2026, the Ministry of Commerce asked the Director General of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) in Karachi to look into the issue of “unauthorised additional charges” reportedly being levied by cargo handling company Gerry’s Dnata on meat export shipments. The communication followed a complaint submitted by the All Pakistan Meat Exporters and Processors Association (APMEPA), which raised concerns that the newly imposed charges were increasing export costs and affecting the industry’s competitiveness in international markets.
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Pakistan expands domestic power generation as Asian LNG shortages bite
Asian utilities are boosting coal-fired power generation to cut costs and safeguard energy supply, industry officials say, as the US-Israeli war on Iran chokes liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments and soaring prices threaten to suppress LNG demand. Asia spot LNG prices have doubled to three-year highs in the second major supply shock in four years, as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has all but stopped and No.2 global exporter Qatar has halted shipments. In South Asia, Bangladesh is increasing coal power generation and coal-fired power imports in March, daily government data shows. Pakistan, meanwhile, aims to further boost power generated from domestic sources after solar additions helped it avoid a repeat of the LNG supply volatility behind widespread outages following Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, Power Minister Awais Leghari said.
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SPL seeks CPPA-G support for release of pending sales tax refund
Saif Power Company Limited (SPL), which owns a 225MW power plant, has sought support from Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) Limited (CPPA-G) for the release of its pending sales tax refund from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). In a letter to the Chief Executive Officer of CPPA-G, the Chief Financial Officer of SPL referred to the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) dated April 30, 2007, and the Master Agreement (MA) of February 11, 2021, signed between the company and CPPA-G, the power purchaser, as novated through a Novation Agreement involving National Transmission and Despatch Company. According to the company, its financial position has significantly deteriorated following the amendment agreement signed on February 28, 2025, particularly due to the one-time waiver of delay payment interest amounting to Rs1.36 billion.
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Energy shock could derail Pak economic recovery
Mian Zahid Hussain, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum & All Karachi Industrial Alliance, Chairman National Business Group Pakistan and Chairman Policy Advisory Board FPCCI, today expressed grave concern over the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, warning of an unprecedented global energy shock that could derail Pakistan’s fragile economic recovery. He stated that with global Brent crude prices surging past USD105 per barrel and imported LNG prices reaching USD8.72 per MMBtu following severe disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, urgent and decisive policy measures are required to insulate the national economy. Mian Zahid Hussain noted that the recent steep hike in domestic retail fuel prices is merely the first tremor of a broader macroeconomic shock that threatens to undo recent stabilization efforts which can shrink Pakistan’s GDP by 1percent.
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FFC holds 48th Annual General Meeting
Fauji Fertilizer Company Limited (FFC) successfully held its 48th Annual General Meeting on March 16, with a quorum of 59 percent achieved through a combination of in-person attendance, video conferencing and proxy representations. The AGM drew participation from a broad cross-section of shareholders, including individual investors as well as prominent institutional shareholders such as Fauji Foundation, State Life Insurance Corporation, Citibank, Standard Chartered Bank, AWT Insurance, NAFA, NIT, and Atlas Group, alongside representatives from various corporate and institutional entities. The meeting was formally called to order by Brig Khurram Shahzada, SI(M) (retd), Company Secretary of FFC. This was followed by an opening address by the Chairman of the Board, Lt-Gen Anwar Ali Hyder, HI(M) (retd).
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