Pakistan could face a complete gas shortage after April 14 if alternative supplies are not secured, officials told the Senate’s Petroleum Committee during a briefing on the country’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply situation.
The Director General of LNG informed the committee that gas supplies from Qatar have been fully suspended due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, forcing authorities to increase domestic production to meet demand. However, current consumption levels remain below the requirements of the electricity sector.
Officials highlighted that only two out of eight LNG cargoes scheduled for March have arrived, as the regional conflict prevented the delivery of the remaining six. A similar shortfall is expected in April, with three out of six cargoes projected to miss arrival.
To manage the expected supply gap, authorities presented emergency supply plans for March 2026, including adjustments to domestic and imported gas allocations.
Under the proposed plan, system gas supply will be reduced from 655 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) to 642 MMCFD, while RLNG supply will increase slightly from 28 to 30 MMCFD. Overall gas availability is expected to decline from 683 to 672 MMCFD.
Gas allocations across sectors will also be revised. Supply for domestic consumers is planned to increase from 399 to 420 MMCFD, while commercial sector consumption will be reduced from 10 to 8 MMCFD. Gas allocation for process industries will fall from 140 to 120 MMCFD, whereas supply to the power sector will rise from 18 to 20 MMCFD. Fertilizer plants are expected to receive slightly higher allocations, increasing from 29 to 30 MMCFD, while captive power plants will see supply reduced from 82 to 70 MMCFD.
Officials added that if LNG demand rises further, agreements with an Azerbaijani company could provide an alternative supply, although the cost would be roughly three times higher than current imports. The committee was told that managing domestic consumption and securing new supply contracts will be critical to avoiding a severe energy crisis in the coming months.