PM vows all-out efforts to secure winter energy supplies

November 05, 2026 (MLN): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government is making all-out efforts to ensure the availability of LNG, LPG and oil during the coming winter despite rising international prices and disruptions in maritime routes, while keeping power plants running and limiting the burden of costlier energy on the public.

He said the decades-old monopoly in the LPG sector has ended, with locally produced LPG to be offered through supervised competitive auctions and importers required to follow prescribed procedures, and that revenue from the auctions will go to the national exchequer and be used for subsidies and relief for ordinary citizens, APP reported.

The government’s subsidy programme, which has benefited around 15mn people, will continue at least until the end of December, he added.

He was chairing a federal cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The prime minister said the government is meeting every two to three days to review energy requirements and prepare contingency and coordination plans for the winter.

He appreciated the timely decision by Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, his team, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the relevant committee to approach refineries to share their windfall profits, which helped avoid passing a proposed Rs15 per litre increase in petrol prices on to consumers.

Around Rs28bn has been spent so far under the subsidy programme, which has reached an estimated 75mn people when family members are counted.

The prime minister said the programme is running transparently, but intelligence agencies have found irregularities at a few petrol pumps, and he directed the petroleum minister to get them shut and impose heavy financial penalties on those involved.

He said regional instability is the main reason behind the sharp rise in international crude oil prices and that Pakistan is actively working for regional peace and stability.

He pointed to recent diplomatic engagements, including two Pakistani delegation visits to Tehran, the Field Marshal’s visit, the visit of the Saudi defence minister to Pakistan and that of Turkish official Ibrahim Kalin, saying constructive discussions were held to ease regional tensions and advance cooperation under the proposed trilateral arrangement involving Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.

On security, the prime minister said the government has finalised a comprehensive Rs160bn development and security package for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He expressed confidence that the sacrifices of the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, better arrangements and provincial government cooperation would help eliminate terrorism.

He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have suffered greatly from terrorism and reiterated the government’s resolve to eradicate it permanently.

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