Parliamentarians dispute Khaqan's in-camera briefing claim

Parliamentarians have denied that the Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi gave them any in-camera briefing or provided them any details of the Pakistan-Qatar Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) deal. The LNG deal as per the Minister envisages the import of 2.25 million tons of LNG from February 2016 to Jun 2017 and 3.75 million tons per annum from July 2017 to 2030. PSO has contracted to pay Qatargas every fortnight through a Standby Letter of Credit (SLBC) at 105 percent of the value of 4 LNG cargoes.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday in response to a query by Business Recorder had stated that the government has provided all the necessary details to parliamentarians. When Business Recorder approached a number of senators and Members of National Assembly (MNAs) to acertain the veracity of the Minister's claims, parliamentarians claimed that the government has not shared any details of the contract with them.
Saleem Mandviwalla of Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) said that the government was making money from the LNG business and had deliberately not made the deal public "which, as per law, is necessary". He alleged that there are kickbacks and commissions in LNG deal therefore the Petroleum Minister was reluctant to place it on the website of the relevant departments. Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said he was also not aware of any such development.
Abdul Waseem of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), member of National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, told Business Recorder that Federal Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbassi has committed to members of Parliament that he would brief them on the LNG deal signed in February but he has yet to fulfil his commitment. He added that the only conclusion one can draw from this is that the government is hiding something from them.
Senator Nisar Muhammad Khan of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) also denied that the Minister has provided any record of the deal to him or any other parliamentarian. Senator Kalsoom Perveen of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ((PML-N) confirmed that Abbasi did not give any in-camera or open briefing to the Senators about Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supply agreement.
Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan of PML-N, another member of National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources also stated that the Minister did not give any in-camera briefing to parliamentarians on the subject. However, he said that the Minister has explained about LNG deal several times in the Committee meeting. Abbasi has repeatedly stated that his Ministry has directed the management of Pakistan State Oil (PSO), which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum, to upload details of the LNG deal on its website excepting the confidential clause. The Ministry has not stopped PSO from uploading the deal on its website, he said and added that failure to do so is a reflection of PSO's decision.