ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Friday agreed to enhance cooperation in immigration, border management and institutional collaboration.

An understanding to this effect was reached during a meeting of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry with a delegation of China’s National Immigration Administration led by Director General Qi Jingyang here.

The two sides agreed to make joint operations more effective against illegal immigration, arms smuggling and cross-border crimes.

It was also decided to finalise an agreement soon to expedite the immigration process. A Pakistan-China joint working group on border management and security will be established.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said cooperation with China on land borders, seaports and immigration management would be further enhanced.

“The government of Pakistan is pursuing a zero tolerance policy against illegal immigration, border crossing and smuggling,” he said, adding that action was being taken without discrimination against all elements involved in these crimes.

He said a check post of Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts was being established at Khunjerab Pass to further strengthen security. Tallal Chaudhry said that illegal immigration and border crimes would be curbed through mutual cooperation.

The Chinese delegation appreciated Pakistan’s effective measures to prevent illegal border crossing and smuggling.

Director General Qi Jingyang said China and Pakistan were strategic partners and China wanted to further strengthen cooperation with Pakistan.

“China will continue to support capacity building of Pakistani institutions,” he said. The Chinese delegation extended to the interior minister an invitation from China’s minister of public security to attend the Public Security Forum.

The FIA delegation was also invited to the forum. The Chinese ambassador said Pakistani police officers would travel to China for training later this month.

Chinese teachers are also providing special Chinese language training to personnel of the Special Protection Unit in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2026

ISLAMABAD  –  Pakistan sought a fifth spot LNG cargo for July amid rising electricity demand, Qatar’s force majeure declaration, and renewed US-Iran tensions threatening LNG supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. State-owned Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) on Friday floated a tender to import one spot LNG cargo for delivery on July 27-28, 2026, as soaring temperatures and a widening electricity shortfall drove up demand.

“Bids are invited from reputed international suppliers, for the supply of one LNG cargo on a Delivered Ex-Ship (DES) basis at Port Qasim, Karachi, Pakistan,” the Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) advertisement said. PLL has set July 20, 2026 as the deadline for bids, which will be opened the same day.

For the month of July, four cargoes have been procured and now the government has floated another tender for the supply of fifth cargo. PLL has floated its fifth tender in around three weeks to secure LNG from the spot market. Earlier on June 27, July 1, July 9, and July 14, PLL had invited bids for the supply of LNG cargos from the spot market for June 30 to July 4, July 10-11, July 15-16 and July 21-22 supply windows. For the supply windows of June 30 to July 4, BP Singapore was the sole bidder at $16.7372/mmBtu, which was approved by the PLL board. Similarly, for the delivery window of July 10-11, two bids were received, and PLL board had approved TotalEnergies Gas & Power Limited with the offer of $17.3700/mmBtu as successful bidder. 

In response to bids invitation for one spot cargo for delivery windows between July 15-16, PLL had received three offers, with BP Singapore offered $18.2345 per million British thermal units, PetroChina Intl $18.5991/mmBtu and TotalEnergies Gas & Power Limited $18.7200/mmBtu. The PLL board has approved the BP Singapore offer of $18.2345/mmBtu. For the supply window of July 21-22 PLL had received two bids, with BP Singapore offered $21.3737 per million British thermal units, and PetroChina Intl $20.6999/mmBtu. The PLL board had approved the PetroChina Intl offer of $20.6999/mmBtu. 

The US-Israel-Iran conflict has disrupted Qatari LNG supplies, forcing the government to buy from the spot market to meet rising electricity demand. Pakistan is unlikely to receive its full LNG supply from Qatar under the long-term contract despite the Strait of Hormuz reopening, as QatarEnergy has extended force majeure to some European and Asian buyers until August-September.

Notably, Pakistan has received 10 LNG cargoes since the start of US-Israel war with Iran in order to meet increasing electricity demand amid surging temperature. Five LNG cargoes have been supplied by QatarEnergy under the long term contract, five had been procured from the spot market, while 11th overall and 6th spot market purchase has been procured for July 21-22.  Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL) is owned by the Government of Pakistan and has the mandate to procure Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to meet the country’s gas requirements.