ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Power Minister Sardar Awais Leghari on Thursday met his counterpart from Iran and Chinese energy officials to discuss cross-border collaboration and energy cooperation, the Power Division said in a statement.
Pakistan has suffered from a prolonged energy crisis that stems largely from a gap in the energy the country’s energy supplies and electricity demand.
Cash-strapped Pakistan lacks adequate resources to run its oil- and gas-powered plants and imports most of its energy needs. The country’s energy crisis has taken a toll on its economy as it struggles with a chronic balance of payments crisis, inflation and currency devaluation.
Leghari met his Iranian counterpart Abbas Ali Abadi on the sidelines of the Third Belt & Road Ministerial Conference held in Qingdao, China.
“Minister Awais Leghari underscored the importance of cross-border energy projects in boosting connectivity and trade,” the Power Division said. “Both sides discussed future collaboration, particularly focusing on the development of electricity projects in Gwadar, Balochistan.”
Both stressed the importance of strengthening energy cooperation in power plant operations and maintenance, the statement said, adding that they emphasized the need for regular coordination and communication.
Separately, Leghari held separate meetings with Yao Huan, vice president of Power China and Ni Zhen, the general manager of Energy China, in Qingdao.
“Recalling historic visit of Premier Li Qiang to Pakistan, Minister for Power conveyed Pakistan’s desire to modernize power dispatch and transmission systems, aimed at cutting lines and other losses,” the Power Division said.
In the meeting with Huan, both sides discussed establishing a state-of-the-art research and development center in Pakistan to facilitate the integration of advanced technologies and best practices into the country’s energy framework.
With Zhen, both representatives discussed enhancing the energy mix and advancing new technologies into power generation and dispatch systems, the Power Division said.
Pakistan’s power minister explores energy cooperation with China, Iran at BRI conference
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Pakistan’s power minister explores energy cooperation with China, Iran at BRI conference
- Awais Leghari meets Iran’s power minister, senior officials of Power China and China Energy at sidelines of conference
- Leghari discusses cross-border collaboration with Iranian counterpart, improving dispatch and power transmission system
Pakistan says repaid over $13.06 billion domestic debt early in last 14 months
- Finance adviser says repayment shows “decisive shift” toward fiscal discipline, responsible economic management
- Says Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over $286.6 billion in June 2025 to $284.7 billion in November 2025
KARACHI: Pakistan has repaid Rs3,650 billion [$13.06 billion] in domestic debt before time during the last 14 months, Adviser to the Finance Minister Khurram Schehzad said on Thursday, adding that the achievement reflected a shift in the country’s approach toward fiscal discipline.
Schehzad said Pakistan has been repaying its debt before maturity, owed to the market as well as the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), since December 2024. He said the government had repaid the central bank Rs300 billion [$1.08 billion] in its latest repayment on Thursday.
“This landmark achievement reflects a decisive shift toward fiscal discipline, credibility, and responsible economic management,” Schehzad wrote on social media platform X.
Giving a breakdown of what he said was Pakistan’s “early debt retirement journey,” the finance official said Pakistan retired Rs1,000 billion [$3.576 billion] in December 2024, Rs500 billion [$1.78 billion] in June 2025, Rs1,160 billion [$4.150 billion] in August 2025, Rs200 billion [$715 million] in October 2025, Rs494 billion [$1.76 billion] in December 2025 and $1.08 billion in January 2026.
He said with the latest debt repaid today, the July to January period of fiscal year 2026 alone recorded Rs2,150 billion [$7.69 billion] in early retirement, which was 44 percent higher than the debt retired in FY25.
He said of the total early repayments, the government has repaid 65 percent of the central bank’s debt, 30 percent of the treasury bills debt and five percent of the Pakistan Investment Bonds (PIBs) debt.
The official said Pakistan’s total public debt has declined from over Rs 80.5 trillion [$286.6 billion] in June 2025 to Rs80 trillion [$284.7 billion] in November 2025.
“Crucially, Pakistan’s debt-to-GDP ratio, around 74 percent in FY22, has declined to around 70 percent, reflecting a broader strengthening of fiscal fundamentals alongside disciplined debt management,” Schehzad wrote.
Pakistan’s government has said the country’s fragile economy is on an upward trajectory. The South Asian country has been trying to navigate a tricky path to economic recovery under a $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
