The federal government has decided to keep gas prices unchanged for the next six months across all consumer categories, offering significant relief to households and businesses amid inflationary pressures.
The decision was announced by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum during its 12th meeting, chaired by Syed Mustafa Mehmood.
The petroleum minister told the committee that on the directions of Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, gas tariffs will not be revised during the remaining six months of the current fiscal year. He underlined that domestic, commercial, and industrial consumers will all benefit from the freeze, adding that a formal notification will be issued by the petroleum ministry shortly. Gas prices, he noted, are typically revised on a biannual basis.
Ali Pervaiz Malik also informed lawmakers that the flow of circular debt in the gas sector has been effectively controlled, with no fresh accumulation taking place. He described this development as a major achievement under the government’s reform agenda, saying it reflects improved financial discipline and governance within the sector. According to the minister, gas supply to domestic consumers has been enhanced nationwide, with no indigenous gas field currently facing curtailment. He added that additional gas is being supplied to the power sector beyond its IGCEP demand to help prevent electricity load-shedding during the winter months.
On the LNG front, the minister disclosed that Pakistan has successfully concluded negotiations with Qatar to divert surplus LNG cargoes to the international market, while fully honoring contractual commitments. He praised Qatar as a dependable and strategic energy partner, noting that it upheld its agreements at a time when several global suppliers failed to do so. He said the arrangement protects Pakistan’s interests while maintaining strong bilateral energy relations.
The Managing Directors of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) briefed the committee on operational and efficiency-related improvements. They reported that gas supply has been enhanced in line with the prime minister’s directives to provide maximum relief during winter. SNGPL informed the committee that domestic gas supply hours have been extended from 5:00 am to 10:00 pm to ease consumer hardship.
The committee was also apprised of notable progress in reducing Unaccounted-for Gas (UFG) losses. SNGPL has reduced its UFG losses from 9 percent to 5 percent, while SSGC reported a reduction from 17 percent to 10 percent. Additionally, IoT-based monitoring systems, including Town Border Stations at the tail ends of gas networks, have been deployed to enable real-time detection of pressure drops and improve service delivery.
The petroleum minister further revealed that the government is working with the World Bank on capacity building of the Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions (DGPC) to strengthen regulatory oversight and governance in the upstream sector.
It is noteworthy that both SNGPL and SSGC had earlier sought substantial increases in gas tariffs for FY 2025-26, citing rising operational costs, RLNG diversion, and returns on assets. However, the Standing Committee on Petroleum welcomed the government’s decision to stabilize gas prices, appreciating the reform measures and consumer-centric approach adopted to provide tangible relief to the public.
