Pakistan Rushes to Buy Another LNG Cargo After Qatar Extends Force Majeure

Pakistan is scrambling to secure an emergency shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after renewed attacks in the Strait of Hormuz disrupted supplies from Qatar, forcing the government to return to the costly spot market to avoid a gas shortage.

State owned Pakistan LNG has issued an emergency tender to purchase an LNG cargo for delivery on July 15 and 16. The move came after the government approved the procurement on Wednesday following the cancellation of a Qatari LNG shipment scheduled for delivery this month, according to traders familiar with the matter.

The latest disruption follows escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has slowed sharply after the United States carried out a second day of strikes on Iran in response to Iranian attacks on vessels in the strategic waterway, including an LNG tanker. A vessel carrying a Qatari cargo bound for Pakistan reportedly abandoned its voyage through the strait earlier this week.

The disruption has significantly reduced LNG flows to Pakistan. Bloomberg ship tracking data shows imports have remained well below normal levels since the conflict escalated, with volumes dropping sharply from April before recovering only partially in recent weeks.

Pakistan relies on Qatar for almost all of its LNG imports under long term supply agreements, leaving the country increasingly exposed to supply disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, which began in late February.

To bridge the shortfall, Islamabad has already purchased two LNG cargoes from the spot market in recent weeks, where prices are typically much higher than those under long term contracts.