PSO paid Rs.26b on oil sale

KARACHI: The government of Pakistan has paid off Pakistan State Oil (PSO) dues worth 26 billion rupees on sale of oil to other state departments on Friday, Geo News reported.

PSO officials told Geo News that government had paid off the company 26.30 billion rupees dues relating to oil sale to different government departments.

The officials further said that still many companies owe PSO Rs.154 billion dues out of which, Rs.141 billion have to be recovered from companies working in energy sector.

It is hoped that after the recovery of the aforementioned amount PSO would be relieved of the financial hardships in connection with sale of and all the same, it would help end oil import crisis the company is currently grappled in.

Afghan governor, 14 others killed in mosque blast: police

KUNDUZ: An Afghan provincial governor and 14 other people were killed Friday when a powerful blast tore through a mosque in northern Afghanistan, a police commander said.

The nature of the blast in the town of Taluqan, the capital of Takhar province, was not immediately clear.

"There was a blast in the mosque. The governor, the imam, altogether 15 people have been killed," provincial police chief Shah Jahan Noori said.

Governor Mohammad Omar was the governor of the neighbouring province of Kunduz, but orginally came from Takhar.