Five more LNG import pacts to be signed with Qatar: Shahid Khaqan

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said that five more Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) based agreements would be signed with Qatar.

In an interview, the Minister said that Pakistan has been passing through a severe energy crisis and the import of LNG from Qatar would be a positive and welcome step to address the issue.

He said that two countries also signed three other agreements and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the fields of Radio, TV, health and academic research.

The Petroleum Minister said that 50 percent needs of energy of Pakistan depend upon the energy produced by gas.

He said that import of LNG from Qatar has been started partially but on the basis of need the LNG has been given to the users.

Abbasi said that under the agreement three ships carrying LNG will reach every month in Pakistan in 2016 and next year adding that number of ships will be increased to five after 2017. To a question he said that Pakistan has been facing crisis of energy for several years due to which not only domestic users are facing troubles but economy of the country has been affected badly.

In his comment former General Manager Sui Southern Gas Brigadier (R) Agha Gul also said that the process of buying LNG from Qatar was going on from 2004. Talking to VOA he said God willing this will prove to be one of the achievements Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has secured so far.

He said people who have some know how of the energy crisis will term this project as light at the end of the tunnel.

Agha Gul said the government has made the deal at the time when petrol prices have reduced which will have a good impact on the deal.

He said the deal will help in reducing power load-shedding by 10 to 15 percent.