First cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is expected to be delivered to Pakistan on November 24 for its inaugurated at the second LNG terminal in Karachi which has been set up by a consortium. 

This announcement was made by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while inaugurating the terminal which will be importing 4.5 million tonnes of LNG per year. Two terminals have already been built and another five are in the pipeline. They will be developed on the basis of demand in the industry. 

According to the reports in the media, the prime minister reiterated that the government is committed to address the energy shortage and already quite successfully considerably reduced the gap between demand and supply both in the electricity and gas and the work is speedily in progress on a number of power projects in different parts of the country to overcome the challenge in the shortest possible time,. 

The PM, quite rightly termed the LNG terminal a success story saying all new terminals are being set up by the private sector and the role of the government is limited to that of a facilitator to the consumers and the suppliers as the government’s function is not to do business but to provide a regulatory framework. 

Pakistan is currently importing 600 million mm cfd of LNG per day through its first LNG terminal at Port Qasim and the second one, also built by the private sector , will handle another 600 mm cfd per day. Thanks. 

MUHAMMAD MURTAZA ZEESHAN,  

Lahore, November 21.