ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is bound to avail discounted oil facility only under the sanctioned cap of $60 per barrel from Russia; a parliamentary panel was informed on Thursday.

National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Petroleum met here at the Parliament House on Thursday. Aamir Talal Gopang chaired the meeting of the committee.

The G-7, alongside the European Union and Australia, decided late last year to impose a cap of $ 60 a barrel on Russian oil in an effort to ratchet up the pressure on Moscow. As part of the agreement, they said they would review this cap in mid-March. Secretary Petroleum Captain Muhammad Mahmood (retired) informed the committee that Pakistan is willing to accept any discounted price as per sanction.

The committee returned, “The Pakistan Petroleum Upstream Regulatory Authority Bill 2022” to the Petroleum Division for broader consultation with the provinces. Director General (PC) Petroleum Division Kashif Ahmed informed the committee that the division had received the comments from the provinces and required further deliberation between federal and provincial governments.

However, the committee approved, “The Gas (Theft control and recovery) Amendment Bill, 2023” with a little amendment.

He further disclosed that due to illegal smuggling of diesel from Iran has a negative impact on the diesel stocks of the country. The stocks of local refineries are full and no buyer is available for the product.

He maintained that the federal government has created a fund for the E&P companies in the oil and gas sector to slow the depleting process of deposits of indigenous gas in the country and also mobilising resources for offshore exploration of oil and gas reserves. In addition, he said various blocks have been offered to local and foreign investors.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023