PM directs improvement of petroleum supply chain amid Middle East crisis

Approves restructuring of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the petroleum minister to further enhance the supply chain for petroleum imports and instructed all relevant institutions to remain prepared to take emergency measures until the regional situation improves.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the directives were issued during a meeting chaired by the prime minister to review the implementation of fuel conservation and austerity measures in light of the evolving regional situation.

During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the progress made in implementing austerity and energy-saving steps announced earlier by the government.

It was informed that the prime minister’s directives regarding conservation measures were being implemented and that the Intelligence Bureau would present monitoring reports on the enforcement of these steps.

The meeting was also told that Pakistan currently has adequate reserves of petroleum products to meet national requirements.

Officials said the government is closely monitoring the overall situation and maintaining a detailed record of petroleum products to ensure that any irregularities can be identified immediately.

The meeting was further informed that cabinet members have voluntarily foregone their salaries, while reductions in fuel consumption by government departments have begun to yield positive results. These austerity measures, officials said, will help provide relief to the public under the current circumstances.

The briefing also noted that the country holds adequate stocks of medicines to meet domestic needs.

In addition, arrangements have been completed by the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication to provide special connectivity for the government’s e-office system to facilitate work-from-home operations if required.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday approved the restructuring of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) under a plan that envisions aligning the national agenda with export targets and food security goals.

The premier’s approval came during a meeting chaired by him and convened to discuss PARC-related matters in Islamabad, a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

It added that PM Shehbaz directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to chalk out a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of the reorganisation plan, including a timeline.

He directed that the PARC should be developed in line with research being carried out on agriculture by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the statement said, further quoting PM Shehbaz as saying that research plays a central role in the development of the country’s agriculture sector and food security.

Under the restructuring plan, the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) in Islamabad would be converted into centres of excellence in five disciplines of agricultural research.

The reform vision is to align the national agenda strictly with export targets and food security goals, the plan states.

According to the plan, PARC would be “repositioned as a strategic coordinator, shifting away from direct implementation, embedding international partnerships systematically across the research system”. Staff Report