ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed authorities to prioritise the exploration of new oil and gas fields to reduce Pakistan’s dependence on costly petroleum imports and conserve precious foreign exchange.
Chairing a high-level meeting on matters related to the Petroleum Division, the prime minister stressed that tapping domestic energy resources was essential for ensuring economic stability and long-term energy security.
He also ordered the digitisation of the entire oil and gas supply chain — covering imports as well as domestic utilisation — on a priority basis. The prime minister noted that digitisation would help curb the smuggling of petroleum products, resulting in significant benefits for the national exchequer.
The meeting was informed that the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) had discovered substantial new oil and gas reserves in the Nashpa Block of Kohat district. The newly discovered reservoirs are expected to produce approximately 4,100 barrels of oil per day.
Officials further apprised the meeting that domestic consumers experienced improved gas pressure during the current winter season compared to last year. Progress was also reported on RLNG connections, with authorities aiming to provide 350,000 new connections by June 2026.
The meeting was told that pipelines for the Sheva and Batani gas fields had been commissioned, while construction work on the pipeline linking the Kot Palak gas field was currently in progress.
Separately, chairing a meeting on economic reforms, Prime Minister Shehbaz underscored that the implementation of the government’s economic governance agenda was unavoidable. He directed all relevant ministries to submit proposals outlining practical measures and a comprehensive strategy that could be implemented within a minimal timeframe.
By AFP
