Islamabad, January 1, 2026 — Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday issued important directives aimed at saving foreign exchange spent on petroleum imports, stressing the need to accelerate domestic oil and gas exploration and modernize the energy supply chain.
Chairing a high-level meeting on issues related to the Petroleum Division, the prime minister underscored that the development of indigenous energy resources is vital for Pakistan’s economic stability and energy security. He directed authorities to prioritize exploration of new oil and gas reserves to reduce reliance on costly imports.
The prime minister also ordered the urgent digitization of the entire oil and gas supply chain, covering both imports and domestic distribution. He said that digital monitoring would help curb smuggling and leakages, ensuring transparency and generating greater revenue for the national exchequer.
“With the digitization of the oil and gas supply chain, smuggling can be effectively controlled, which will ultimately benefit the country’s economy,” the prime minister said.
During the briefing, officials presented a comprehensive roadmap for reforms in the petroleum and gas sector. The meeting was informed that the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) has made a major discovery of new oil and gas reservoirs in the Nashpa Block of District Kohat.
Congratulating the nation on the discovery, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the efforts of the concerned departments. The newly discovered reserves are expected to produce around 4,100 barrels of oil per day, contributing to reduced import dependence.
The meeting was further told that gas pressure for domestic consumers remained better during the current winter season compared to last year. Officials also briefed the prime minister on the fast-tracking of RLNG connections, with a target of 350,000 new connections by June 2026.
In addition, the meeting noted that pipelines for the Sheva and Batani gas fields have been commissioned, while work on the Kot Palak gas field pipeline is currently underway.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, along with other senior government officials.