Islamabad, Pakistan: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif chaired a high level meeting to review the progress on LNG Power Plants and Sahiwal Coal Power Plant at PM House today.
Prime Minister directed the concerned ministries and departments to finalize all required procedures for in time commencement of work on the power plants. The Prime Minister also directed to ensure observance of legal formalities in the preparatory work and agreements and to maintain transparency relating to all aspects of the projects.
Minister for Finance Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Water & Water, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Minister for Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif and secretaries and high officials of the ministries concerned attended the meeting.
It may be mentioned that Pakistan has started LNG imports from Qatar and this project is under criticisms by the parliament as well as by experts. However, now Pakistan has also started work on importing LNG from China through a pipeline and construction of a pipeline would enable Pakistan to import LNG from China. This project will take several years in completion and Pakistan will keep importing LNG from Qatar under controversial deal. China and Pakistan will jointly fund the construction of the 700 km long pipeline.
According to Pakistan media, the government has started giving money to Qatar firm under the agreement without even receiving LNG from the company. Media reported that Pakistan government made sure the payments to Qatar Gas despite the fact it is faced with circular debt and price of Qatari gas for Pakistan will stand at 13.50 percent of Brent crude. A spot purchasing agreement has already been signed between Pakistan State Oil and Qatar.
Qatar has close business relations with ruling party and this is one of the factor that LNG project has been politicised before actually it starts.
