Govt assures public of meeting gas demand in winter, pledges to ensure supply during mealtimes

Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik pledged Tuesday to ensure the country has enough liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to meet demand during the winter months, despite disruptions caused by closed Iranian border crossings. The minister addressed a press conference in Islamabad, explaining that LPG is widely used for cooking, but also for transportation like rickshaws, especially for those without access to piped gas networks.

He assured that the government would make "utmost efforts" to meet demand, even if it means purchasing more expensive fuel for the piped network. Malik also mentioned that LPG would be needed for meal times, and that the government would do its best to supply it. He noted that the country's total LPG demand was around 2.4 million tonnes, with about 6,500 to 7,000 tonnes used each day.

Of that, locally produced LPG amounts to roughly 2,000 to 2,500 tonnes, with the rest coming from Engro and SSGC LPG terminals. Malik highlighted that efforts are underway to strengthen the country's energy security architecture, but regretted that no work has been done on fuel storage or refineries since the war began. He noted that international fuel prices had dropped recently, and that oil refineries will contribute to the petroleum levy by bearing a Rs15 billion cumulative impact over 30 days, allowing a Rs14.71 reduction in petrol prices.

The minister also announced that the government is trying to introduce a similar system for LPG, and that the country faces numerous challenges in LPG availability.