Another LNG re-gasification terminal in couple of days: Musadiq

Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Musadik Malik has said the government will inaugurate another liquefied natural gas (LNG) re-gasification terminal in a couple of days to reduce gas shortfall in the country. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, he said the gas shortfall was 2 BCFD when the present government came to power in 2013.
The government has set up one 600 MMcfd LNG re-gasification terminal in a record time of 11 months and now another terminal of 600 MMcfd will be inaugurated in next two to three days, he said adding that this will help overcome gas shortfall in the country.
Malik said that there was 18 hours electricity load-shedding in 2013 but the present government has undertaken various projects to address the problem and the energy-deficit country has become an energy-sufficient country. He added that people are being provided with around the clock electricity. He claimed that the country will become energy surplus in coming days.
Replying to questions, he said that Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline project could not be implemented because of international restrictions on Iran and as soon as there is some relaxation in those curbs, the project will be implemented. He said that the government was already procuring electricity from Iran but it was through barter system and no financial institution was involved in it. He said that a neighboring country and enemy agencies are operating in Balochistan to sabotage the CPEC project.
Malik said that an international standard airport will be built at Gwadar with Chinese financial assistance of Rs 22.5 billion. He said that financing will be a grant and not a loan. He said that work on airport will be started in the first quarter of 2018 and it will complete in three years.
He said the Finance Ministry is reporting to the Prime Minister. He said that as the court did not accept Dar''s ailment, its decision will be considered very carefully while taking any decision about the future of the finance minister. The Prime Minister, he said, has directed the Ministry of Power to submit details of energy related projects of Gawdar to ensure availability of sufficient energy over there.