Russia is open to selling natural gas to Pakistan through central Asia or Iran in the near future.
While broadly commenting on the future of fuel imports to Europe, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told the state-owned TASS news agency that in the long term, Moscow can send LNG to Afghanistan and Pakistan either using the infrastructure of Central Asia or in a swap from the territory of Iran.
The Russian maintained that his country had already supplemented LNG supplies to Europe in the previous year and further expressed Moscow’s intention to increase gas supplies to the global market following the establishment of an energy hub in Turkey.
Recently, Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Shafqat Ali Khan, met with the Russian Minister of Energy to discuss a potential deal for acquiring LNG from Russia on October 11, 2022. However, in November, Moscow refused to sell LNG, saying that LNG contracts were more of a long-term thing and that arranging them on short notice for Pakistan was difficult at the time.
Russia is unlikely to send any gas to the South Asian block until the long-term prospect of sending LNG becomes feasible. Meanwhile, Pakistan will get relief elsewhere in the shape of crude oil and petroleum products at discounted rates.
Federal Minister of State for Energy (Petroleum Division) Musadik Malik said after visiting Moscow that Russia will provide Pakistan with crude oil and petrol and diesel at discounted rates. He said the Russian side arranged meetings of the Pakistani delegation with some private companies and talks have now begun with them.
The minister added at the time that Russia was constructing new LNG production facilities and had invited Pakistan to begin discussions on long-term LNG contracts for 2025 and 2026.
