Suspension of 900 Million Cubic Feet a Day of Qatari Gas Deepens Pakistan’s Supply Challenges
Key Facts
Pakistan Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik told the National Assembly on October 26 that liquefied natural gas supplies from Qatar, totaling about 900 million cubic feet a day, had been suspended because of the war. The statement puts Pakistan’s gas supply security under pressure as winter approaches, while the government seeks alternative sources and routes. However, a report published on October 22 said two Qatari cargoes had arrived during the month, showing that the suspension does not mean all Qatari shipments stopped in October. The report said the vessel Al Areesh arrived on October 13, and a second Qatari cargo arrived later. The latest cargo also restarted the Pakistan GasPort terminal, which had been shut since October 9 because of low LNG stocks.
LNG disruptions coincide with a separate problem in the liquefied petroleum gas market, another fuel used by households. Malik said 70% of LPG imports enter the country by land, and border closures had caused supply problems. The government is exploring alternative sea routes for imports of the fuel to address disruptions to land routes, the minister said. The plan concerns maritime import routes for LPG, not new suppliers of LNG. The broader plan to replace LNG supplies calls on Pakistan LNG Limited to explore supplies from the United States, the Middle East and Azerbaijan, according to Arab News.
Figures from the previous winter show Pakistan’s reliance on Qatari gas: the country imported 36 LNG cargoes, 35 of them from Qatar, according to official data cited by Arab News. Imported LNG accounts for about one-fifth of Pakistan’s gas consumption from July 2025 to March 2026, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey. The country’s needs for the 2026-2027 winter season are estimated at about 24 cargoes, according to an October 22 report by The News International. QatarEnergy extended force majeure on deliveries to November 5, Arab News reported, while Reuters said some Asian customers, including Pakistan, had been notified that the notices were extended through November. These figures link current supply disruptions with Pakistan’s need to secure additional cargoes ahead of winter.
The impact of supply restrictions has also extended to the LPG market and prices. Malik said the official announced price was 280 rupees per kilogram, and that fuel prices were linked to Saudi Aramco prices, which had reached $705 per ton. The minister said domestic gas was supplied to household consumers for eight hours a day, during iftar and meal times. Malik did not announce a clear existing policy on LPG prices, but said the government would announce one soon. His remarks point to two parallel energy efforts: finding a sea route for LPG imports and seeking alternative LNG supplies.
Globally, Reuters calculated that Qatar’s LNG exports fell 96% through the end of August amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Data from ICIS cited by Reuters showed Qatar exported 18 cargoes through the end of August, compared with 509 cargoes in the same period a year earlier. Reuters said the winter heating season would intensify competition between European and Asian buyers for limited global supplies and could keep gas prices high. In contrast, the Pakistani government said in an official statement that the country had experienced no fuel shortages despite difficult regional conditions. The next announced government step remains the issuance of an LPG pricing policy soon, while the force majeure period on Qatari deliveries ends, according to Arab News, on November 5.