ISLAMABAD — The federal government on Friday tabled a gas price adjustment bill in the Senate that would allow natural gas prices to be set on a quarterly basis, amid long-running debate over how often and how openly fuel prices should change.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry introduced the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026. The measure seeks to insert a new Section 8A into the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Ordinance, 2002 — OGRA being the federal body that regulates oil and gas pricing. The Senate chair referred the bill to the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat for further review.
What the quarterly mechanism would do
Under the proposed rules, a natural gas licensee would submit its total revenue requirement every quarter, but only for wellhead gas prices and the cost of imported gas, including RLNG (regasified liquefied natural gas). OGRA would then advise the federal government on revised prescribed prices.
Within 30 days, the federal government would have to determine minimum charges and the sale price for each category of retail consumer. The gas price adjustment bill would also let the federal government tell OGRA to factor in all or part of a quarterly adjustment in a later determination under Section 8 of the ordinance.
Public hearings and why the bill is contested
In a move described as controversial, the bill would amend Section 9 of the OGRA Ordinance to end the mandatory public hearing that the Authority must hold when revising prescribed prices under the new Section 8A. That means quarterly price revisions under that section would no longer require a formal open hearing by law.
The statement of objects and reasons attached to the gas price adjustment bill says the main aim is to create a quarterly gas pricing system so that swings in natural gas costs can be reflected more regularly in the prices charged.
What happens next in the Senate
The legislation has only been introduced and sent to committee. It has not yet been debated or voted on in the full House. Any change to how often household and commercial gas tariffs are reset — and whether the public can still insist on a hearing for those quarterly revisions — will depend on what the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat recommends and whether senators later approve the bill.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Hakumat ne Senate mein ek bill pesh kiya hai jismein gas ki qeemat har teen mahine baad dekhne ka tareeqa rakha gaya hai. OGRA government ko nayi qeematein suggest karegi, phir sarkar 30 din mein retail rates tai karegi. In quarterly changes ke liye pehle jaisi lazmi public hearing ab zaroori nahi rahegi. Ab bill committee ke paas hai; final qeemat abhi change nahi hui.
