QUETTA: Militants ambushed a convoy of Pakistani oil and gas workers escorted by paramilitary troops in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan on Thursday, killing 15 people, intelligence officials said.
The attack was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Front, a secessionist insurgent group that has operated in the region for decades.
According to two intelligence officials, seven employees of Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company were killed, along with eight members of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps who were protecting the convoy.
The attack took place in Ormara, not far from Gwadar Port, being developed by China, on the Arabian Sea. The port is a key component of Beijing’s multi-billion dollar road-and-belt project linking Beijing to Central and South Asia.
Both the Balochistan Liberation Front and the Balochistan Liberation Army operate in the southwestern Balochistan province, staging relentless attacks to press their demands for independence. They have taken particular aim at the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The project — including everything from roads to power plants — will link Pakistan’s Gwadar to Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang province.
The Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal condemned the ambush, calling it a “cowardly terrorist attack.”
The secessionists have taken responsibility for attacks on the Karachi Stock Exchange earlier this year, the Intercontinental Hotel in Gwadar last year and the Chinese Consulate in Karachi.
Thursday’s attack is the second in as many days. On Wednesday, six Pakistani troops were killed in North Waziristan and another soldier was killed in Bajur region, both former tribal areas that are now part of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province which, like Balochistan, borders Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s border areas served as a base for the Pakistani Taliban and other militants until a few years ago, when the army claimed it cleared the region of insurgents, though occasional attacks have continued, raising fears the Pakistani Taliban are regrouping.
There was no immediate comment from the military on the Balochistan attack.
Pakistan officials: Militants ambush oil convoy, killing 15
https://arab.news/2w7nx
Pakistan officials: Militants ambush oil convoy, killing 15
- Seven employees of Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company were killed along with eight members of Pakistan’s Frontier Corps who were protecting the convoy
- The attack took place in Ormara, not far from Gwadar Port, being developed by China on the Arabian Sea
Pakistan raises fuel prices by Rs55 per liter as Middle East conflict drives oil surge
- Government says adequate fuel stocks in place despite global energy shock
- Oil prices jump from about $78 to over $106 per barrel amid regional conflict
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday increased petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 ($0.20) per liter each as escalating conflict in the Middle East sent global oil prices sharply higher and disrupted energy supply routes, officials said.
Global oil markets have been rattled since coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran began last week, triggering retaliatory attacks across the region, raising fears of disruption to key energy shipping routes and pushing petroleum prices sharply upward.
The price adjustment in Pakistan was announced after a joint press conference by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, who said the government was monitoring international energy markets and domestic supply conditions amid the crisis.
“So, the decision we have made by changing the levy a little bit is that we are going ahead with increasing the price of both fuels, petrol and diesel, by Rs55 ($0.20),” Malik told reporters.
“And as soon as this matter settles, we will revise the prices downward with the same speed and take steps on how to increase people’s income and purchasing power.”
He said Pakistan entered the crisis with “comfortable energy reserves” due to earlier planning but rising global prices had forced the government to adjust domestic fuel rates to maintain supply continuity.
He said international petrol prices had climbed from roughly $78 per barrel on March 1 to around $106.8 per barrel, while diesel prices had risen to about $150 per barrel.
Malik added that the government had taken steps to minimize the burden on consumers, noting diesel plays a critical role in agriculture, transportation and public mobility.
Malik also warned that authorities would take strict action against anyone attempting to hoard fuel or manipulate supply for profiteering.
The minister said Pakistan was working with international partners to secure additional energy supplies, including arrangements with Saudi Aramco and the use of Pakistan National Shipping Corporation vessels to transport crude oil imports.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb said a high-level government committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had been meeting daily to review developments in global petroleum markets and their potential impact on Pakistan’s economy.
“Pakistan currently maintains adequate energy stocks and macroeconomic stability,” Aurangzeb said, adding that the government’s response was based on preparedness rather than panic.
He said the committee, which includes senior ministers, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and other officials, was assessing short-, medium- and long-term implications of the crisis for inflation, foreign exchange reserves and broader economic indicators.
Deputy PM Dar said the regional conflict had significantly disrupted global energy markets, with international petroleum prices rising by as much as 50–70 percent in recent days.
The deputy prime minister added that Pakistan was also engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions and restoring stability in the region.
Petroleum prices will now be reviewed more frequently, potentially on a weekly basis, and any reduction in global oil prices would be passed on to consumers.
Pakistan, which relies heavily on imported fuel to meet its energy needs, is particularly vulnerable to global oil price shocks that can quickly feed into inflation and pressure the country’s external accounts.
