Islamabad, In a brief meeting today at the Parliament House, the Senate session was adjourned due to a lack of quorum. Presiding Officer Rubina Khalid chaired the session, which saw an early conclusion.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the quorum issue was highlighted at the outset of the meeting. Addressing this, the Presiding Officer decided to adjourn the House. The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Monday at 2:30 p.m.
This development reflects the challenges faced in maintaining the required number of members for legislative proceedings. The adjournment underscores the need for consistent attendance by Senators to ensure smooth legislative operations.
Islamabad, The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum, chaired by Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir, convened at the Parliament House to address critical issues pertaining to the petroleum sector. The committee’s primary focus was the suspension of gas supply to industrial units in Sindh for two days weekly, resulting in a significant production loss of 28 percent. This discussion highlighted the challenges faced in gas supply and depletion.
According to Senate of Pakistan, the Ministry for Energy (Petroleum Division) officials provided insights into the ongoing situation. They reported that gas depletion from reservoirs at different fields exceeds 10% annually, while demand continues to rise. Particularly, SSGC (Sui Southern Gas Limited) is receiving about 90 MMCFD less gas than last year, a trend persisting for the last 8 to 10 years. Secretary Mohsin Agha underscored the need for a comprehensive plan to address these challenges and refine policymaking.
The meeting also delved into the topic of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) rates. OGRA (Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority) officials explained the pricing structure, which includes producers’ price, marketing companies’ margin, and consumer price components. The price per metric ton is determined monthly based on the Saudi Aramco Contract Price, with additional charges including a distribution margin, petroleum levy, and Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Senator Saadia Abbasi raised concerns about the impact of taxes on cylinder prices, while the committee Chairman Mohammad Abdul Qadir suggested exploring gas transportation via seaports and large ships to reduce price hikes. OGRA Chairman Masroor Khan acknowledged that while their Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) mechanism operates at sea borders, large ship operations are not yet viable.
Furthermore, the Chairman of the committee urged the Ministry for Energy to engage international companies for investment, citing the need for competitive LNG pricing and addressing minor disputes that render government and private companies non-operative.
The meeting concluded with the assurance from the Secretary of the Petroleum Division that a comprehensive plan and policy review is underway, with expected improvements in the coming weeks. The session was attended by Senators Saadia Abbasi, Atta ur Rehman, Fida Muhammad, Mohsin Aziz, the Chairman of OGRA, and senior officials from the Ministry for Energy (Petroleum Division).