KARACHI: The federal government has decided to keep gas tariffs unchanged for the next six months, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik announced on Tuesday, citing reforms in the energy sector and measures aimed at providing relief to consumers.
Speaking during a briefing chaired by him, Malik said the decision was taken on the direct instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to ease the financial burden on households, particularly during the winter season. He stressed that the government was focused on maintaining price stability while addressing long-standing structural issues in the gas sector.
The minister said the government had reached an agreement to divert excess LNG cargo procured from Qatar to the global market, a move intended to manage supply more efficiently and reduce financial pressure on the system. He added that as a result of these steps, gas prices would remain unchanged for all categories of consumers over the next six months.
Highlighting improvements in sector performance, Malik said the growth of circular debt in the gas sector had been halted. He also pointed to a marked reduction in unaccounted-for gas (UFG) losses, with Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited reporting a drop from 9% to 5%, while losses at Sui Southern Gas Company fell from 17% to 10%.
The briefing further noted that gas supply to domestic consumers had improved nationwide, with no local gas fields shut down and power plants receiving gas volumes above previous levels. Gas supply hours have also been extended, now running from 5am to 10pm.
Earlier this month, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority had increased the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Rs10.68 per kilogram, raising it to Rs219.67 per kg. Malik, however, emphasized that despite this adjustment, broader reforms and policy decisions were aimed at ensuring maximum relief for the public and stabilizing energy prices in the months ahead.
