ISLAMABAD :(Parliament Times) Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi let it be known that gas prices will not increase from July 1, and said the ban on commercial meters of gas has also been lifted.
The petroleum minister added that the contract between Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and Qatar is commercial, therefore, political conditions will not affect it. However, the project can suffer in case of international restrictions on Qatar, he said.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi made it clear that the perception that gas is not being provided to the provinces is wrong and contrary to facts. Gas is being distributed among all provinces according to the constitution, he said.
The minister said Sindh and Balochistan are fully getting the dividends of oil and gas discoveries made there during last four year.
To a question, he responded that the work on Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline is delayed due to the effect of sanctions on Iran that prohibit dollar transactions.
Shahid Khaqan told that five new oil and gas discoveries have been made in Sindh in the areas of Hyderabad, Sanghar, Sajawal and Khairpur district.
Abbasi told that these discoveries would lead to addition of 600 barrels per day of oil and 70 million cubic feet of gas. In all there have been 98 oil and gas discoveries during tenure of the present government and so far 944 million cubic feet of gas has been added to the system, he remarked.
The minister added that new wells will produce six hundred barrels of oil and seventy million cubic feet of gas per day.
He said there have been ninety-eight oil and gas discoveries during tenure of the present Government and so far nine hundred forty-four million cubic feet of gas has been added to the system.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said for procurement of oil and gas, the government is working on Government to Government level with various countries including Azerbaijan, Turkey, Oman, Russia, China, Malaysia and Iran.