Concern over Pakistan petroleum supplies grew in the Senate on Friday, as lawmakers warned of a "looming energy crisis" and asked whether petrol and other fuels will stay available. The concern is about a possible shortage rather than one already confirmed. PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman said a shortage of these products was likely and that the government needed to explain its plan. Senators asked the government to brief the House on its contingency plan, meaning the steps it would take if supplies were disrupted.
Why senators are worried
Rehman said the regional conflict and reports of renewed attacks on Iran had added to uncertainty over the country's supplies. "Will Pakistan have adequate petroleum supplies under the current circumstances?" she asked, arguing that the issue affects energy security, economic stability and ordinary citizens. She pointed to liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, a fuel many households use for cooking, and said Pakistan imports nearly 70% of its LPG and produces the remaining 30% at home.
Her second point concerned timing. Pakistan received five LPG cargoes last year, she said, but only two were due this year on spot booking, meaning shipments bought for near-term delivery rather than under a long-term contract. She argued that the gap raised questions about how supplies were being planned at a time of heightened uncertainty in the region.
Government asked to set out its plan
Rehman asked whether petrol and other petroleum products would be available until December, and whether rationing would be needed. She asked the ministers of petroleum and power to brief the House on Monday or Tuesday, saying Parliament must be kept informed when developments in the region could have direct consequences for Pakistan.
Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, the Leader of the Opposition in the House, said wars across the region, including the areas around Bab al-Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz, would keep energy problems growing. He said there was a shortage of electricity in Punjab and that LPG was not easily available in the country. He also warned that higher petrol and diesel costs would make inflation harder to control.
Rehman also questioned how the carbon levy, which the federal government collects through the petroleum levy, is being used. She said a finance official had acknowledged at a Senate committee meeting that the levy was not being spent on environmental projects, and that the money goes into the Federal Consolidated Fund, the federal government's main revenue account, without being ring-fenced for climate action.
What happens next
Until the ministers brief the House, the details of any contingency plan for Pakistan petroleum supplies remain unclear, and it is not yet known whether rationing will be needed. Senators have asked for a clear answer on petrol and LPG availability in the coming months, with the briefing requested on Monday or Tuesday. Readers should treat these warnings as concerns raised in Parliament, not as a confirmed shortage.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Senators ne Pakistan ki petroleum supplies ke baray mein fikr zahir ki hai aur kaha hai ke petrol ki kami ka khatra ho sakta hai. Sherry Rehman ke mutabiq is saal sirf do LPG cargo aane wale hain, jabke pichle saal paanch aaye thay, aur Pakistan apni LPG ka lagbhag 70 feesad bahar se mangwata hai. Senators ka kehna hai ke hukumat apna plan wazeh kare, aur ministers se Monday ya Tuesday ko House mein briefing maangi gayi hai. Aam logon ke liye iska matlab hai ke khana pakane ki gas aur petrol ki dastyabi par nazar rakhna zaroori hai.
