Pakistan has expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for the assistance and support provided in the process of localization of gas resources, Pakistan's Federal Minister of Energy (Petroleum Division) Ali Pervaiz Malik said during the 30th Anniversary Baku Energy Forum.
Report quotes him as saying in recent years, a significant part of gas supplies to Pakistan was carried out at the expense of friendly states. At the moment, the country has three to four international contracts, he added.
“As for domestic consumption, as the national currency came under pressure and world prices for Brent oil rose, demand slowed. We are focused on fulfilling the agreements already concluded before entering into new ones. At the same time, we are making efforts to stimulate domestic exploration and production,” the minister noted.
He stressed that Pakistan highly values Azerbaijan’s support in this process: “I am grateful to the government of Azerbaijan and all our partners for their assistance and support in the issues of localization of gas resources. This is an important element of managing our gas sector.”
The minister also pointed out that the largest consumer of gas in Pakistan’s energy system remains the electricity sector.
“That is why I have been emphasizing the need for a coordinated energy policy from the very beginning. Another key consumption segment is the household sector. We have a gas pipeline network of about 150,000 kilometers, and millions of households depend on cheap energy. We are working on introducing energy efficiency standards for household appliances,” Malik added.