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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have appointed special representatives to coordinate anti-narcotics efforts and bolster intelligence sharing and joint operations against drug trafficking networks, the interior ministry in Islamabad said on Thursday. 

The decision was announced after talks in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, chairman of the UAE’s National Anti-Narcotics Authority. 

The move ties into broader regional efforts, following April’s Pakistan-hosted Pak-GCC Anti-Narcotics Conference, where Gulf states agreed to deepen cooperation against the smuggling of heroin, synthetic drugs and precursors across the region.

“For strengthening anti-narcotics cooperation, Pakistan appointed DG ANF Major General Abdul Mueed, while the UAE appointed Brig. Tahir Gharib as special representative,” a statement from the Pakistani interior ministry said.

Naqvi welcomed the establishment of the UAE’s federal anti-narcotics body and congratulated Sheikh Zayed on becoming its first chairman, calling it a milestone in bilateral cooperation. He said Pakistan was acting as a “frontline force” in the fight against drugs and stressed that those involved in the “heinous trade” were being dealt with firmly.

Naqvi cited the arrest of 400 people allegedly involved in smuggling narcotics into the UAE and the seizure of around five tons of drugs, saying such successes were only possible “through joint efforts and timely exchange of information.” 

He also pointed to an uptick in synthetic drug smuggling in recent months and said Pakistan had launched a crackdown on the criminal networks behind it.

As quoted in the statement, Sheikh Zayed pledged full support from the Emirati side, saying:

“Every possible cooperation will also be provided by the UAE in the field of anti-narcotics. We must strengthen mutual cooperation so that we can provide a better future for coming generations.”

SINGAPORE: Pakistan’s largest refiner Cnergyico expects to boost fuel oil exports by 35 percent to 40 percent during the fiscal year ending June 2026 as high taxes have cut into domestic sales, its vice chairman said.

Pakistan levied additional taxes of about 40 percent on domestic sales of fuel oil in June, on top of a consumption tax of 18 percent, effectively shutting its refiners out of the domestic market.

The company has exported 80,000 tons, or 95 percent of its production, from July to date, versus 55 percent in the last fiscal year that ended in June, Usama Qureshi told Reuters on the sidelines of the APPEC conference.

Sales of fuel oil, mainly used by ships, typically make up 10 percent to 15 percent of the refiner’s annual revenue.

Cnergyico exported 247,000 metric tons (1.57 million barrels) in the fiscal year ended June, and an increase of 35 percent to 40 percent would boost annual exports to 333,000 tons to 346,000 tons.

Pakistan’s fuel oil exports jumped to an all-time high of 242,000 tons in August, data from analytics firm Kpler showed.

Cnergyico is upgrading its refinery complex to reduce fuel oil production and boost fuel sales to the domestic market, in line with Pakistan’s policy guidelines to upgrade refineries to produce cleaner fuels, Qureshi said in an interview.

“We will be importing more sweet crude and upgrading the refinery to produce cleaner diesel and gasoline, and also plan to set up fuel oil cracking facilities to boost gasoline production,” Qureshi added.

Cnergyico mainly imports so-called sour crude, with high sulfur content, from the Middle East, and booked Pakistan’s first-ever purchase of US crude last month.

US crude grades typically contain low levels of sulfur, and produce less fuel oil when refined.

Domestic sales of fuel oil are typically more profitable, while export revenue depends on fuel oil cracks, Qureshi said.

The company sold fuel oil to traders who exported it to destinations such as southern Europe, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Pakistan has a significant fuel oil-based power generation capacity, but utilization has plunged this decade, due to lower power demand, higher solar adoption and increased generation from other clean energy sources such as nuclear.