Federal Minister for Energy Mr. Omar Ayub Khan and Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum Mr. Nadeem Babar held a virtual meeting with Mr. Francis R. Fannon, Assistant Secretary of US State Department for Energy Resources this evening. Ms. Angela Aggeler, US Chargé d'Affaires was also present in the virtual session. Both sides discussed the energy sector including Pakistan’s third party access policy for gas infrastructure. The Federal Minister gave an overview of Pakistan's Energy Sector and the present Government's earnest endeavours in reforming the energy sector of the country. SAPM highlighted the key areas of Third Party Access Rule under which government would open up the LNG business from a pure state-led monopoly to an open market for private participation. He explained the government of not increasing its financial commitments in the LNG sector and allowing the private sector to step in. SAPM also apprised the participants that if the existing terminals want to remarket their excess capacity, they are free to do. While explaining the third-party access rules, he said that TPA is also available for pipelines already. He further said that the Pipeline are now open access to anyone who has the gas marketing licences from the independent regulator OGRA. Any unused governnent capacity of terminals is also being advertised and private companies will able to bring & sell the LNG to consumers of their own choice. Mr. Babar termed TPA rules as a favourable development that could, hopefully, lead more US companies to invest in LNG sector of Pakistan. Mr. Fennon thanked Minister & SAPM for informed session on TPA rule of Pakistan. He hoped that US step up cooperation in the energy sector.
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