Omar Ayub addresses media at a reception in his honour hosted by Haleem Adil Sheikh at his residence in Karachi. PHOTO: NNI
“Our offices as well as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar wrote several letters, but the Pakistan Peoples Party’s provincial government did not cooperate with us and when it did, it was too late,” said Omar Ayub while addressing a news conference after attending a reception in his honour hosted by Sindh Assembly member Haleem Adil Sheikh at his residence.
PM’s aide Babar, PTI MPAs and leaders Dr Saeed Afridi, Bilal Ghafar, Abbas Jaffri, Kareem Bux Gabol, Shehzad Farooqui, Hunaid Lakhani, Arshad Javed and others were present.
The energy minister said, “Now, we are trying to ‘connect the right of way’ to meet the gas shortage.”
He lamented that during the last 10 years, the previous governments of the PML-N and the PPP, did very little regarding the oil and gas drilling activities due to which “today the country is in dire need of gas”.
PM’s aide Nadeem Babar said, “Drilling activities should have increased, but they decreased, propelling the foreign companies to leave the country.”
Babar said last year they had dug 16 exploratory wells, but during six months of the current year, they had dug 17 wells and were well ahead of their target of 31, adding that next year they would dig more than 60 wells.
“Until we don’t find enough gas reserves, we would have to manage the shortage through gas import,” he added.
He disclosed that everyday nearly 120 to 150 gas thieves were being caught.
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Federal minister Omar Ayub said, “The country’s requirement is seven billion cubic feet (bcf) while production is 3.5 bcf and imports stand at 1.2 bcf. The government has given a go-ahead to the private sector to establish liquefied natural gas terminals and sell it in the market [to decrease reliance on imports].”
Ayub said that an international wind turbine manufacturing company has expressed interest to set up its facility in Pakistan, which would generate thousands of jobs and create expertise.
He said the previous PML-N government had shut down the wind turbine projects in Sindh, which generated electricity through air, but Prime Minister Imran’s government is restarting those projects.
“We are in talks with the Sindh government for the purpose,” he said. “Up to 3,000 MW electricity will be generated through these wind turbines in Sindh. Many international companies are willing to invest in Pakistan due to the prudent and transparent investment policies of Prime Minister Imran Khan.”
Ayub also lamented that the Sindh government was not agreeing to the weighted average cost of gas, which comprises costs of locally produced gas and imported LNG. “Sindh’s gas reserves of 2,260 mmcfd would end in a couple of years if it does not agree to the weighted average cost of gas,” he added.
“We are working hard to control inflation,” said Ayub, advising the provincial governments to play their role for the purpose as well.
“The Centre will continue playing its role. We are elected people and know what necessities [of the masses] are,” he added.
The minister also blamed the previous government for high gas prices, saying it made expensive import deals.
On load shedding, the minister said the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has already taken action against the K-electric. “Our war against corruption mafias will continue and an example is the areas of Hyderabad and Sukkur electric supply companies where electricity theft has been curbed.
“Load shedding has already been reduced by 80 per cent across the country,” Ayub said, vowing that action would continue against electricity thieves.
Ayub accused the PPP government of committing corruption in the rental power projects during its tenure, which created power crisis in the country.
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