Amid power crisis, Pakistan may face network shut down

CHENNAI: Pakistan telecom body has warned about shutting down mobile and internet services due to nationwide long hours power outages.

The National Information Technology Board (NITB) of Pakistan gave a warning on shut down of mobile and internet services owing to the power outage crisis in the country.

Taking to Twitter, the board said, "Telecom operators in Pakistan have warned about shutting down mobile and internet services due to long hours power outages nationwide, as the interruption is causing issues and hindrance in their operations."

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned the country that they might face increased load shedding in the coming month of July, a report said, on Monday. He also said that Pakistan could not get the required liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, however, the coalition government was trying to make the deal possible.

Pakistan's monthly fuel oil imports are set to hit a four-year high in June, Refinitiv data showed, as the country struggles to buy LNG for power generation amid a heatwave that is driving demand, reported Geo News.

Pakistan is facing an aggravating power crisis after it failed to agree on a deal for natural gas supply next month. Tenders for July were scrapped due to high price, and low participation as the nation is already taking action to tackle widespread blackouts.

Pakistan's government is attempting to boost energy conservation, has cut working hours for public servants and ordered shopping malls to factories to shut early in various cities, including Karachi.

Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said the government was also speaking to Qatar about a new five or 10-year LNG supply deal for three monthly cargoes, as well as an additional cargo under an existing deal.

The fast depletion of the foreign exchange reserves was the result of Pakistan's inflation of twin deficits, and a lack of foreign currency inflows. Inflation in Pakistan entered the double-digit mark in July, the biggest surge in nearly six years.