ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik has announced that the government had finalised its winter gas supply strategy for the period from November to February.
Under the plan, efforts would be made to provide households with gas for cooking at breakfast, lunch and dinner, helping families manage their daily needs during the winter months.
Government plans to ensure transparency in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices, warning that action will be taken against suppliers charging consumers excessively amid unusual pressures on energy prices.
Speaking about the LPG supply situation, the minister said Pakistan consumes approximately 6,500 to 7,000 tonnes of LPG daily. Of this, around 2,000 to 2,500 tonnes are produced domestically, while the remaining demand is met through imports.
According to the minister, LPG prices should range between Rs400 and Rs425 per kilogram. He said the government would import additional supplies to ease shortages and expressed hope that the situation would begin improving within two to three days.
Government Warns LPG Suppliers Against Overcharging
Ali Pervaiz Malik said the government was determined to improve transparency in the LPG market and take action against those charging unreasonable prices.
He alleged that some market participants were exploiting the situation by obtaining court stay orders. The minister claimed that the difference between market prices and local LPG prices amounted to approximately Rs30 billion and said authorities knew the identities of the relevant licence holders.
He added that the government had previously warned LPG suppliers to provide the commodity at reasonable rates.
According to the minister, the prime minister had assigned the attorney general to address the legal obstacles, while efforts were under way to have stay orders lifted in the remaining cases.
Pakistan to Increase LPG Imports
The petroleum minister said additional LPG imports were planned to improve availability and ease pressure on consumers. He expressed optimism that supplies and market conditions could begin improving within two to three days.
The government’s proposed measures aim to address supply constraints and bring greater transparency to pricing, although the actual impact will depend on import availability, distribution and enforcement.
Qatar Continues Gas Supplies Amid Regional Challenges
Discussing gas supplies from Qatar, Ali Pervaiz Malik said Pakistan had previously received approximately 1,000 million cubic feet of gas per day from the Gulf state.
He added that despite difficulties linked to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Qatar had supplied gas to Pakistan at $12 to $13 rather than $30. The minister did not specify the pricing unit or contract basis in the information provided.
