Day: April 15, 2024

During last month’s Pakistan Day parade, the country’s armed forces showcased various combat vehicles, including the latest locally manufactured anti-tank tracked armored vehicle, MAAZ.

The parade saw multiple new armored personnel carriers (APCs) and the latest generation of Main Batte Tanks (MBTs) being displayed to the public. The MAAZ, an anti-tank version of the Talha, was among the new vehicles showcased during the military parade.

It is equipped with an anti-tank launcher unit called Baktar-Shikan, enhancing its capabilities for anti-tank warfare.

According to the Military Balance report, the Pakistani army has 3,200 tracked Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles. This includes the following:

2,300 M113A1/A2/P

200 Talha

600 Italian VCC-1/VCC-2

100 Chinese ZSD-63

The Talha is Pakistan’s first locally manufactured Armored Personnel Carrier (APC), designed and developed by Heavy Industries Taxila, a state-owned defense enterprise situated in Taxila. While it shares the chassis of the US M113 AP
C, the Talha has enhanced protective features. Its primary weapon is a roof-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun.

The Talha, designed as an APC, can transport 11 fully equipped infantrymen. It incorporates two firing ports on each side, a notable enhancement over the M113, which did not possess this feature. Troops can access and exit the vehicle via a rear ramp.

According to Army Recognition, a foreign website that focuses on global military news, the MAAZ, the anti-tank variant of the Talha, is equipped with the indigenous Baktar-Shikan anti-tank missile firing unit.

This unit is based on the Chinese HJ-8 anti-tank missile and has been manufactured under license by Pakistan since the late 1990s. The Baktar-Shikan system had its initial successful test in July 1997.

The missile of the Baktar-Shikan anti-tank weapon system can be outfitted with two types of warheads: the standard and the tandem. The tandem warhead, specifically designed to counteract explosive reactive and spaced armors commonly employed, is highl
y effective.

By incorporating a smaller warhead, it disables the protective Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA), thereby enabling the main warhead to penetrate the tank’s armor effectively.

The missile has a short, cylindrical body with a hemispherical nose and foldable stabilizing fins located at the tail. It has a maximum range of 3,000 meters. The standard warhead demonstrates the capability to penetrate armor up to 500 mm thick, while the tandem warheads excel in penetrating armor exceeding 600 mm.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Over two thousand and four hundred Sikh Yatrees arrived at Nankana Sahib today to perform their religious rituals.

The Sikh pilgrims were given a warm welcome by the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board and local Sikh leaders.

Speaking on the occasion, the Additional Secretary Shrines of the Board, Rana Shahid Salim said all possible arrangements have been made for the Sikh pilgrims including accommodation, transport and medical facilities.

He informed that Sikh pilgrims will also visit Gurdwara Sacha Sauda Farooqabad after performing their religious rituals at Gurdwara Janam Asthan.

Talking to newsmen, Sikh leaders praised that the Trust Board administration for the best arrangements.

They said that they are very happy to see the beauty of Gurdwara Janam Asthan and other sites in well protected conditions.

Source: Radio Pakistan

Just like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan Railways is also grappling with financial challenges.

According to a report by a national daily, the second-largest state-owned enterprise lacks the financial resources to replace 100 locomotives that have surpassed their operational lifespan of 20 to 25 years.

Due to the financial challenges, Pakistan Railways is forced to operate these locomotives. The report revealed that 35 out of these 100 engines that have exceeded their lifespan were purchased in 1975.

Furthermore, administrative issues have also made it difficult for Railways to replace the old fleet. An official told the national daily that Pakistan Railways (PR) is in dire need of 100 new locomotives to replace the old ones procured in 1975 and 1990.

He added that the ‘problem is the paucity of funds that must be made available to procure new locomotives and save the heavy maintenance cost being incurred on making the old ones operational.’

The official also mentioned the increasing num
ber of incidents due to faults in the outlived engines. He requested the federal government to allocate funds for Railways in the upcoming annual budget for the year 2024-25 under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The official stated that besides the 350 active locomotives of different specifications, PR has over 60 engines that are grounded. They will not be used further.

The official also shared statistics regarding the number of locomotives purchased since 1975. According to him, 35 locomotives of 300 horsepower and another 10 or so of 150 horsepower were acquired in 1975. The number of locomotives purchased in 1990 was 54, 63 in 2013-14, 55 locomotives of 90 series (4,000 HP) in 2017, and another 20 engines of 45 series having a capacity of 2,000 HP in 2019.

According to the official, PR only has 138 locomotives that still have their life for 12 to 20 years or so. He added that the rest have completed their life, particularly those procured in 1975 and the 1990s. ‘Life of a new locomotive
is up to 25 years maximum, but Pakistan Railways is still using the 35 to 50 years old locomotives with heavy maintenance cost,’ the official said.

In response to a question, he emphasized that to address the shortage of new locomotives, the railways require adequate funds to acquire a minimum of 100 new engines.

This investment would result in significant savings, as the maintenance costs associated with old engines would be reduced. Additionally, the adoption of new, fuel-efficient engines available in the market would lead to savings in fuel expenses, as these engines offer excellent mileage at higher speeds.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (PSX: PSMC) last week was hit by a cyber attack and its corporate data was leaked, the automaker informed the main bourse on Monday.

‘On April 9, 2024 we came to know that our corporate data has been leaked due to cyber-attack. Initial investigations suggests that data related to HR, Financials, etc., from server has been port out to public IP,’ it said in a stock filing.

It added, ‘We have onboarded Security Consultant for detail Forensic assessment and eliminating potential security threats from entire infrastructure. Detailed findings will be concluded after completion of assessment’.

This comes sometime after the automaker announced that it was delisting from PSX.

PSMC in February 2024 initiated the share purchase offer (SPA) to sell 22.14 million shares at Rs. 609 per share and effectively delist.

This was initiated after Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, the majority shareholder of Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited (the Company) recently decided to purchase all the s
hares of the Company held by others (other than those held by the Sponsor / Majority Shareholder).

To make matters worse, the carmaker had a year to forget. It reported a staggering loss after tax (LAT) of Rs. 10 billion in 2023, 50 percent higher than a loss of Rs. 6.3 billion in the same period last year.

The net sales of the company decreased by 50 percent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. 102 billion as compared to Rs. 202 billion last year.

Source: Pro Pakistani

Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah has issued a high alert across all municipalities, administrative bodies, and hospitals in the province in anticipation of heavy rainfall.

The Chief Secretary instructed all relevant authorities to maintain heightened vigilance during the impending rainfall. Emphasizing effective drainage of rainwater from major thoroughfares and low-lying areas, Shah directed Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), WASA, and Cantonments to be prepared for emergencies.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has established a Rain Emergency Centre under the supervision of Director Demolition Abdul Sajjad Khan.

SBCA Director-General Abdul Rasheed Solangi stated that technical staff in the Rain Emergency Centre will work in three shifts for 24 hours to address any emergent situations, with staff leaves being canceled. Furthermore, a campaign has been launched to evacuate residents from 515 dilapidated and unsafe buildings to ensure their safety.

Asadullah Kh
an, Chief Engineer of Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) mentioned that various sections of the city’s main roads are equipped with machinery, including suction machines and dewatering pumps deployed in areas prone to urban flooding. The KWSC spokesperson confirmed the dispatch of suction machines, dewatering pumps, and other machinery to key locations in the city, such as major roads and landmarks like the Metropole Hotel, Governor House, Muslim Gymkhana, and others.

Assuring uninterrupted drainage work, the spokesperson stated that KWSC staff would remain on duty throughout the night, providing timely drainage services.

Source: Pro Pakistani