Tarin satisfied with urea availability situation

PM’s adviser asks gas companies to streamline supplies to fertiliser unites

ISLAMABAD:

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin expressed satisfaction on the availability of urea in the country and directed the gas companies on Friday to streamline the supply of gas to the fertiliser units for smooth production.

Tarin chaired a meeting on fertiliser availability situation, which was attended by National Food Security Minister Syed Fakhar Imam, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, besides secretaries of industries and petroleum, additional finance secretary and other senior officials.

After receiving a briefing from the industries secretary on the demand and supply situation of fertiliser, Tarin also directed all the stakeholders to evolve consensus on matters related to sales tax refund and the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) payments on a fast-track basis.

Earlier, the industries and production secretary told the meeting that the supply of gas to the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL)-based urea plants would assure production of additional 300,000 metric tons till January 2022.

“The government is firmly committed to ensure maximum gas supply to all fertiliser units, including Pak Arab and the Fauji Fertilizer Bin Qasim Limited (FFBL),” he said. The secretary added that that the tender for the import of 100,000 metric tons of urea had been advertised.