ISLAMABAD - The federal cabinet on Tuesday gave approval for signing of intergovernmental agreements with Oman and Italy for import of liquefied natural gas to meet the future needs.
Held under the chair of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the Prime Minister’s Office, the federal cabinet took a number of other decisions as well, with special direction to all concerned departments for making the New Islamabad International Airport operational at the earliest.
The federal cabinet gave approval for signing of intergovernmental agreement between the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), Pakistan and the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Sultanate of Oman for supply of LNG and POL products on government-to-government basis.
Similarly, the same approval for signing of intergovernmental agreement and letter of intent on cooperation in the field of LNG between government of Pakistan and government of Italy was also given.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) had recently informed the government that, with the pace, the demand of natural gas was increasing, if more gas would not be injected in the system, the deficit of natural gas would exceed four billion cubic feet per day by the year 2020, and suggested the government to swiftly work on its import plan.
The federal cabinet also granted permission to allow transit of 1x20 feet container STC containing eight packages of spare parts of Toyota vehicles of the UNMA from Karachi to Kabul.
The cabinet also accorded approval, in principle, to Anti-Terrorism (Freezing and Seizure) Rules, 2018.
The cabinet accorded its approval to the notification of the Wapda Hydro-Electric Tariff for the FY 2017-2018 determined by the Nepra, and further directed that the process of tariff determination for the AJK should be initiated.
The federal cabinet ratified the decisions of the Cabinet Committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) taken during its meeting held on January 12.
It was further decided that cabinet should be briefed in detail on the CPEC.
The cabinet issued directions that process to fill up vacant positions of the heads of organisations in various ministries be expedited.
The federal cabinet expressed satisfaction over the surplus generation capacity in the power sector.
It was reiterated that the government was committed to ensuring uninterrupted power supply to consumers.
Earlier, at the outset of the meeting, the cabinet members offered Fateha for the departed souls of renowned lawyer, human rights activist and former president Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir and late Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani.
