The Pakistan Federal Cabinet has approved changes in the Liquefied Natural Gas Policy, 2011, ahead of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Qatar.
Over the weekend, Pakistan’s Cabinet’s Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) approved a proposal not to exclude new LNG terminals and associated facilities from applying for third party access (TPA).
The Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) had submitted a summary of amendments in LNG Policy, 2011 for an exemption from the mandatory TPA for new LNG Terminals.
However, according to local television broadcasts, it was decided to forego this condition regarding TPAs for new LNG terminals, which would help fulfil the rising demand of LNG in the country, the Cabinet reportedly said.
It said that the decision would encourage foreign and private investment in the LNG sector and there would also be chances of more investment in the LNG terminals.
The difference between gas supply and demand causes gas load shedding, which affects commercial activities across the country, it was claimed
Under the circumstances and to diversify the LNG import infrastructure, there was a need to support and encourage foreign/private investment in new Pakistani LNG terminals at their own expense and risk to meet the growing demand of RLNG.
