No plans for meeting between Pakistani, Indian PMs on SCO sidelines — foreign office

A combination photo, created on September 14, 2022, shows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L). (AFP)
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Updated 14 September 2022
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No plans for meeting between Pakistani, Indian PMs on SCO sidelines — foreign office

  • PM Sharif will attend SCO Council of Heads of State in Uzbekistan on September 15-16 with climate, food security in focus
  • India’s Modi, China’s Xi, Russia’s Putin, and Iran’s Ebrahim Raisi are all expected to attend SCO’s 22nd meeting

ISLAMABAD: No meeting is “envisaged” between Pakistani Prime Mini­ster Shehbaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organi­sation (SCO) summit later this week, the Pakistani foreign office said on Wednesday.

Sharif will attend a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) in Uzbekistan on September 15-16, with climate change, food security and other issues on the agenda. Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi are all expected to attend what will be the SCO’s 22nd meeting.

The SCO is a regional security bloc launched in 2001 to combat terrorism and other security concerns. The group initially consisted of China, Russia and four ex-Soviet Central Asian republics, before India and Pakistan joined in 2017.

“No meeting is envisaged with the Indian prime mini­ster,” Pakistani Foreign Office spokesman Asim Iftikhar told the Dawn newspaper.

However, the foreign office said earlier on Wednesday the Pakistani prime minister would hold bilateral meetings with other participating leaders on the sidelines.

The regional summit comes at a time when Pakistan is reeling from the aftermath of torrential rains and floods, which experts have blamed on climate change. The floods have killed more than 1,400 people, washed away livestock and swathes of crops, and destroyed key infrastructure across the South Asian nation, where officials say the losses could go as high as $40 billion.


Chinese giant Hoymiles enters Pakistani market to provide high-tech energy storage solutions

Updated 05 January 2026
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Chinese giant Hoymiles enters Pakistani market to provide high-tech energy storage solutions

  • The development comes after Pakistan emerges as one of world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing nearly 50GW of solar panels
  • Hoymiles entry will address long-hour backup and energy storage challenges facing Pakistan’s growing solar sector, local partner says

KARACHI: Renowned Chinese inverter manufacturer Hoymiles has entered Pakistan to provide high-tech, long-duration energy storage solutions for residential, commercial and industrial buildings by utilizing solar systems for electricity consumption, its Pakistani partner said on Monday.

Over the past few years, a large number of Pakistani industrial, commercial and residential electricity consumers have shifted to solar power systems to address frequent power outages and the rising cost of electricity. Reports indicate that net-metering capacity currently stands at 6,000 megawatts (MWs), while off-grid solar capacity has increased to 12,000 MWs in Pakistan by the end of 2025.

Hoymiles has formed strategic partnerships with Superstar, a renowned name in Pakistan’s automotive industry, and Harisun Energy, a new entrant in the energy solutions sector, to explore the Pakistani market, which is witnessing rapid growth in solar power adoption. In this regard, launch events were held simultaneously in Karachi and Lahore, unveiling multiple storage solutions produced by Hoymiles under the brands of Harisun Energy and Superstar.

Speaking as the chief guest at the Hoymiles launching ceremony in Karachi, Ali Rashid, advisor to Sindh chief minister on science and information technology (IT), said the provincial government appreciates foreign investors, particularly Chinese companies, establishing their industries, assembly, and distribution units in Karachi to meet the demand of the local market as well as export solutions to other countries.

“The government is working rigorously to facilitate foreign investors and companies to enhance their business and commercial activities, mainly in the technology and renewable energy sectors, to improve the living standards of the public and boost economic activity within the country and the province of Sindh,” he said.

The Sindh government is currently collaborating with various Chinese companies across different sectors, including logistics and renewable energy, and it welcomes further cooperation between the private and public sectors, according to Rashid.

The provincial government is considering establishing its own regulatory authority and transmission company, aimed at setting up a separate electricity grid system at the provincial level, which could provide affordable electricity to the masses and enhance connectivity to remote areas, preferably through renewable energy resources.

According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), Pakistan has emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing solar markets, importing approximately 50 GW of solar panels amid falling prices and widespread adoption across sectors in the first half of the year. This surge has made Pakistan the third-largest market for Chinese solar panels, a growth that has attracted global attention.

Superstar Solar Energy and Harisun Energy are introducing Hoymiles’ innovative range of solar inverters, energy storage solutions, and smart energy management systems to the Pakistani market. These solutions are designed to deliver reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy, empowering individuals and businesses to harness solar power as a clean and green energy source.

“Pakistan’s growing solar sector is facing a major challenge related to long-hour backup and energy storage solutions, which will soon be addressed with the entry of a global leader in energy solutions,” said Haris Jamsheed, CEO of Harisun Energy.

“Our partnership with the Chinese company will provide innovative energy storage solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial solar systems, enabling uninterrupted electricity supply at workplaces, factories, and homes during nighttime hours.”

Solarization has continued to expand across the country on a large scale due to prolonged load-shedding in remote areas and the high cost of electricity, which has become unaffordable for many households and industrial units, particularly in recent years.

“We have vowed to bring an energy revolution to Pakistan through innovative storage solutions, as the industrial and commercial sectors can enhance productivity with low-cost electricity backup systems,” said Saleem Umar, Chairman of Superstar.

“Affordable electricity will reduce operational costs at the domestic level, enabling exporters to compete more effectively in global markets.”