ISLAMABAD ,: Pakistan has confirmed it was negotiating with Qatar for a new long term agreement for supply of natural gas (LNG) to meet its gas demand . APP news agency quoted Finance minister , Miftah Ismail , divulging some details of new LNG purchase agreement with Qatar .
Qatar has been a major source to supply LNG to Pakistan for last one decade . Pakistan has mid term and long term LNG supply contract with Qatar .
Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) has a history of good relations with Qatar . PMLN has signed LNG supply agreement with Qatar back in Nawaz Sharif era. These agreements help Pakistan meet its fast growing gas demand. Pakistan is deficit in gas and it is heavily dependent on outsource to buy gas and meet its demand .
According to Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) ,
Miftah confirmed on Saturday here his government was speaking to Qatar about a new five- or 10-year LNG supply deal for three monthly cargos, as well as an additional cargo under an existing deal.
Pakistan already has two long-term supply deals with Qatar – the first signed in 2016 for five cargoes a month, and the second in 2021, under which Pakistan currently gets three monthly shipments. Miftah said two other long-term suppliers had been unable to fulfil contractual supply obligations to Pakistan. He did not go in detail like disclosing names of two long term suppliers which did not fulfil commitments to supply LNG to Pakistan .