WASHINGTON: Pakistan is among the countries that could benefit from a new temporary licence issued by the United States allowing selected energy-importing nations to access Russian oil, diplomatic sources told Dawn.
The US Department of the Treasury has introduced a 30-day general licence aimed at easing immediate supply pressures in global crude oil markets and supporting energy-vulnerable countries facing fuel shortages and rising costs.
Diplomatic sources said the arrangement may also apply to Pakistan, although they cautioned that Islamabad may face challenges in fully utilising the concession due to limited technical and refining capacity.
According to the sources, Pakistan has not previously imported Russian crude oil on a large scale and may currently lack the necessary refining infrastructure to efficiently process such shipments.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the decision in a social media post on Monday, stating that the Treasury Department was issuing a temporary 30-day general licence to “provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temporarily access Russian oil currently stranded at sea.”
“This extension will provide additional flexibility, and we will work with these nations to provide specific licences as needed,” he said in a post on X.
Bessent added that the measure is intended to help stabilise global crude markets and ensure oil supplies reach countries facing acute energy vulnerabilities.
He further noted that the initiative would support the rerouting of existing crude supplies to countries most in need while “reducing China’s ability to stockpile discounted oil.”
Story by Anwar Iqbal
