Petroleum Division assures full support to Energy sector to control load-shedding: Ali Pervaiz

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik on Monday assured the Energy sector of full support from the Petroleum Division to help control load-shedding without placing an excessive burden on consumer tariffs.

Talking to the media along with Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, he said efforts were being made to manage load-shedding as much as possible through a balanced approach while ensuring that its burden did not fall heavily on consumer tariffs.

He said the Ministry was ensuring local gas supply to consumers for their domestic needs and had also injected a significant quantity of gas that had remained shut in.

He said all fertiliser factories in Pakistan were currently operating at full capacity, helping ensure the availability of fertilizer at a reasonable cost. Fertilizer was facing a major crisis globally, he added, but there had been no significant price fluctuation in Pakistan.

Ali Pervaiz Malik said more than 100 MMCFD of gas was also supplied to the Energy sector the previous day.

He said that despite the highly challenging situation, efforts were being made to run the system through consultation and partnership.

He said that if LNG sourcing was required on an emergency basis or through the spot market, the Petroleum Division would play its full role, as far as possible, to address the issue and reduce difficulties faced by the public.

Ali Pervaiz Malik thanked the people for supporting the government with patience during the challenging regional situation and enabling it to face the crisis.

He said energy markets had faced significant disruption over the past six to seven months. The challenges were not limited to fuel availability, as a significant amount of fuel was sourced through the Strait of Hormuz.

This had created supply difficulties in several countries, where rationing and other problems were also witnessed, he added.

Ali Pervaiz Malik said the increase in fuel prices had also disrupted the budgets of many governments, people and households.

He said every government had tried to address the situation according to its economic capacity and ground realities.

He said the Government of Pakistan, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had used around Rs130 billion from federal government resources to provide some relief to the people during the difficult situation.

He said that under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari, efforts were also made to provide targeted support to vulnerable segments in coordination with provincial governments.

The minister said efforts were also underway for a permanent ceasefire in the region.  A permanent solution to the crisis could perhaps emerge through a lasting ceasefire, he added.

Ali Pervaiz Malik said the Petroleum Division and the Ministry of Energy had made efforts to ensure LNG supplies to the maximum possible extent.

He said LNG supplies from Qatar had been discontinued after its production facilities were affected, adding that Qatar had suspended its supplies worldwide.

He said this had also created challenges for gas supplies in Pakistan.

The minister thanked his counterpart, Qatar’s Oil and Gas Minister, saying that despite the situation, Qatar provided six to seven LNG cargoes to Pakistan at the lowest possible cost whenever possible.

Ali Pervaiz Malik also thanked Iran for facilitating Pakistan by taking into account the country’s needs.

He said other countries and partners had also made efforts to support Pakistan, for which he expressed his gratitude.

Ali Pervaiz Malik said Pakistan had to purchase several cargoes from the spot market while keeping its dollar resources in view.

He said some of these cargoes were almost twice as expensive as Qatar’s supplies.