Islamabad, Pakistan (CU)_ Pakistani telecom companies issued a warning that mobile and internet services might be shut down due to prolonged power outages that have impeded their operations. According to the figures, in June, Pakistan’s monthly petroleum imports had reached a four-year high. As a result of an increase in demand caused by a heatwave, the nation has been unable to get sufficient quantities of LNG for electricity generation.
According to the National Information Technology Board’s (NIBT) latest Twitter post, “Telecom operators in Pakistan have warned about shutting down mobile and internet services due to long hours of power outages nationwide, as the interruption is causing issues and hindrance in their operations.”
In the meantime, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has alarmed the country that load shedding may worsen in the next month of July. Sharif also stated that the nation could not obtain the necessary quantity of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and that the administration was trying by all means to make the supply possible.
In an effort to save energy, the Pakistani government has reduced the working hours for government employees and urged malls and companies to close early. The country has been experiencing a power shortage since it failed to reach an agreement to purchase a national gas supply next month. According to media reports, Refinitiv data demonstrates the country’s difficulty in acquiring LNG for power generation in the midst of a heatwave that is pushing demand.
Pakistan inked a power supply agreement with Qatar first in 2016 for five cargoes per month and one in 2021, through which Pakistan now receives three cargoes per month. In spite of this, the nation still experiences extensive power disruptions. Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said, “The government is speaking to Qatar about a new five or 10-year LNG supply deal for three monthly cargoes, as well as an additional cargo under an existing deal”.
