ISLAMABAD: In what is set to stir a new controversy, a bill proposing quarterly determination of natural gas prices landed in the upper House of Parliament on Friday.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) (Amendment) Bill2026, was introduced in the House by Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry at a time when the daily fuel pricing mechanism has drawn widespread criticism.
The bill seeks to insert a new Section 8A in the Ogra Ordinance, 2002.
Under the proposed mechanism, a licensee for natural gas will submit its total revenue requirement on a quarterly basis — only to the extent of wellhead gas prices and the cost of imported gas, including Re-Gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) — for review by the authority.
Ogra will then advise the federal government, which must, within 30 days, advise minimum charges and sale prices for each category of retail consumer for gazette notification.
The bill also empowers the federal government to advise Ogra to carry forward the entire or part of a quarterly adjustment to its forthcoming half-yearly determination under Section 8.
In a clause likely to trigger debate, the bill amends Section 9 to state: “Provided that public hearing shall not be held by the Authority for revision of prescribed prices under Section 8A.”
The statement of objects and reasons states that the primary objective is to align tariffs with market realities by adjusting for Rupee-Dollar parity in a timely manner, signal accurate pricing, curb accumulation of circular debt in the gas sector and ensure financial and operational stability of the gas supply chain.
The bill landed in the Senate at a time when consumers are complaining of unpredictable fuel price shocks.
If passed, it shall come into force at once.
‘Will Karachi’s sea be shifted next?’
During the Senate session on Friday, PPP Senator Waqar Mehdi raised the proposed shifting of Pakistan Petroleum Limited’s (PPL) head office from Karachi to Islamabad, warning that a pattern was emerging of moving federal headquarters, ministries and corporations away from Karachi.
“The head office has been in Karachi since around 1951. Now attempts are being made to shift it to Islamabad through the board of directors, whose members are not elected representatives of the people,” Mehdi said.
He pointed out that the current office’s rent was around Rs4 million per month, but shifting would cost billions. Around 500 officers and employees from Sindh work in PPL and would face severe economic and family disruption if the head office was moved, he said.
“From the federal government’s conduct, it seems tomorrow they will talk of shifting Karachi’s sea to Islamabad as well,” Mehdi remarked.
He said PPL’s core activities, exploration, imports and related infrastructure were linked to Karachi and the institution had been working successfully from there. He demanded the decision be withdrawn.
PPP Senator Zamir Ghumro said oil and gas came under the domain of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
“How can you shift it without the will of the CCI?” he asked.
In response, Chaudhry said PPL was a company and its board had repeatedly said vacating the office had become inevitable.
“We take everything towards provincialism, regionalism. PPL’s assets are not only in Sindh but also in Balochistan. No employees are being affected. There is no provincialism in shifting this office from Karachi,” he said.
Source: www.dawn.com
