ISLAMABAD - The government on Wednesday in National Assembly informed the imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) will start flowing in country’s natural gas system on March 31, as first shipment of LNG is reaching Pakistan today.
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, responding to call-attention notice, shared with National Assembly members some details about the import of LNG from Qatar but failed to satisfy opposition lawmakers on questions about pricing mechanism agreed with the Qatar Gas.
The minister said first shipment of 60,000 tonnes will reach Pakistan tomorrow (Thursday) and it will contribute two billion cubic feet of gas in the system and save $300 million to the power sector. He said the price is being negotiated between the Qatar Gas and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) but declined to share details about it.
Abbasi said it has been decided in the agreement that issues related to LNG deal would not be discussed openly before its finalisation; however, he said briefing on the issue can be given in-camera. A parliamentary committee to work out LNG rates and its import may also be set up, he added. He said that it has also been decided that any third party or consumer can import LNG and use it freely.
On a question regarding names of countries/companies with whom the government is negotiating for import of LNG, the minister replied that the government has designated Pakistan State Oil Company Limited (PSO) to negotiate import of LNG on government-to-government basis with Qatar Gas, which has been designated by the state of Qatar.
Moreover, he said, preliminary meetings have also been held with Petronas, Malaysia’s designated entity and M/s PB Trading Sendirian Berhad, Brunei Darussalam’s designated entity to initiate discussions regarding potential supply of LNG to Pakistan on government-to-government level.
Minister, in response to opposition lawmakers’ queries, said PPP in its era failed to enter into agreement with Qatar. Answering a question he said that there was no benchmark of LNG price as the rates differ in every country; the big importers of LNG in Asia are Japan, India, Korea and China. “Pakistan will have best price,” he assured the house, claiming that rate of LNG (from Qatar) would be less than in whole of Asia.
The minister however said the price would be got approved from ECC after thorough discussion and the details about it will be shared with the house soon after finalisation of the agreement. “Still agreement is not signed (with Qatar), if you want to form parliamentary committee to discuss the issue we are even ready for it,” he said responding to a question.
PPP lawmakers in their questions kept asking about the price agreement with Qatar but received the same response that it was still not decided. Taking the floor, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that the imported LNG would be provided to four IPPs and KAPCO for generation of electricity. “It will help reduce loadshedding in the country,” he said.
The house, with thin presence of lawmakers from both sides of aisle, also passed two bills: ‘The credit Bureaus Bill, 2015’ and ‘The legal practitioners and Bar Council (amendment) 2015’. However, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on the request of government side lawmaker Sheikh Aftab deferred ‘The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government bill, 2014’ until today (Thursday). “PPP has suggested some amendments which will be discussed before taking it up on the floor,” he added.
The statement of ‘objects and reasons’ of the credit Bureaus Bill says, “The draft law is proposed to regulate the business of private credit bureau. Proposed law provides comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for incorporation and functioning of credit bureaus in Pakistan’’. The house also adopted a motion, presented by Parliamentary Secretary for finance Raza Afzal on the behalf of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, for the incorporation and funding of credit bureaus.
MQM, the third major opposition party, expressed concerns about inquiry of Rangers at the airports without any reason. “Why MQM lawmakers are being humiliated without reason,” a Muttahida lawmaker asked, adding that MQM members have to show their national identity cards before being permitted to go. Defence Minister Khwaja Asif in response said that he would share it in detail after probing the matter. “I am sorry for it. Give me a day, I will share the reasons behind it,” he added.
State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, responding to call-attention notice, said that his office would resolve the confusion regarding the construction of boundary wall in district Haripur by the management of Terbela Dam project. “I offer Jirga to sit with my office members, as the matter will amicably be resolved,” he added. Omar Ayub, the mover of call-attention, said that the construction work on boundary wall has cut surrounding villages from the main network of roads.
Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, responding to call-attention notice, shared with National Assembly members some details about the import of LNG from Qatar but failed to satisfy opposition lawmakers on questions about pricing mechanism agreed with the Qatar Gas.
The minister said first shipment of 60,000 tonnes will reach Pakistan tomorrow (Thursday) and it will contribute two billion cubic feet of gas in the system and save $300 million to the power sector. He said the price is being negotiated between the Qatar Gas and Pakistan State Oil (PSO) but declined to share details about it.
Abbasi said it has been decided in the agreement that issues related to LNG deal would not be discussed openly before its finalisation; however, he said briefing on the issue can be given in-camera. A parliamentary committee to work out LNG rates and its import may also be set up, he added. He said that it has also been decided that any third party or consumer can import LNG and use it freely.
On a question regarding names of countries/companies with whom the government is negotiating for import of LNG, the minister replied that the government has designated Pakistan State Oil Company Limited (PSO) to negotiate import of LNG on government-to-government basis with Qatar Gas, which has been designated by the state of Qatar.
Moreover, he said, preliminary meetings have also been held with Petronas, Malaysia’s designated entity and M/s PB Trading Sendirian Berhad, Brunei Darussalam’s designated entity to initiate discussions regarding potential supply of LNG to Pakistan on government-to-government level.
Minister, in response to opposition lawmakers’ queries, said PPP in its era failed to enter into agreement with Qatar. Answering a question he said that there was no benchmark of LNG price as the rates differ in every country; the big importers of LNG in Asia are Japan, India, Korea and China. “Pakistan will have best price,” he assured the house, claiming that rate of LNG (from Qatar) would be less than in whole of Asia.
The minister however said the price would be got approved from ECC after thorough discussion and the details about it will be shared with the house soon after finalisation of the agreement. “Still agreement is not signed (with Qatar), if you want to form parliamentary committee to discuss the issue we are even ready for it,” he said responding to a question.
PPP lawmakers in their questions kept asking about the price agreement with Qatar but received the same response that it was still not decided. Taking the floor, Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that the imported LNG would be provided to four IPPs and KAPCO for generation of electricity. “It will help reduce loadshedding in the country,” he said.
The house, with thin presence of lawmakers from both sides of aisle, also passed two bills: ‘The credit Bureaus Bill, 2015’ and ‘The legal practitioners and Bar Council (amendment) 2015’. However, Speaker Ayaz Sadiq on the request of government side lawmaker Sheikh Aftab deferred ‘The Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government bill, 2014’ until today (Thursday). “PPP has suggested some amendments which will be discussed before taking it up on the floor,” he added.
The statement of ‘objects and reasons’ of the credit Bureaus Bill says, “The draft law is proposed to regulate the business of private credit bureau. Proposed law provides comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for incorporation and functioning of credit bureaus in Pakistan’’. The house also adopted a motion, presented by Parliamentary Secretary for finance Raza Afzal on the behalf of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, for the incorporation and funding of credit bureaus.
MQM, the third major opposition party, expressed concerns about inquiry of Rangers at the airports without any reason. “Why MQM lawmakers are being humiliated without reason,” a Muttahida lawmaker asked, adding that MQM members have to show their national identity cards before being permitted to go. Defence Minister Khwaja Asif in response said that he would share it in detail after probing the matter. “I am sorry for it. Give me a day, I will share the reasons behind it,” he added.
State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali, responding to call-attention notice, said that his office would resolve the confusion regarding the construction of boundary wall in district Haripur by the management of Terbela Dam project. “I offer Jirga to sit with my office members, as the matter will amicably be resolved,” he added. Omar Ayub, the mover of call-attention, said that the construction work on boundary wall has cut surrounding villages from the main network of roads.
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