OGRA without chairman as government delays replacement

Pakistan’s oil and gas regulator is functioning without a chairman after the extended tenure of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Chairman Masroor Khan ended on February 19, with no replacement notified so far, The News reported. 

The absence of a formal head has raised concerns about regulatory continuity in a sector that oversees billions of dollars in transactions annually.

A hearing scheduled for March 2 regarding dollar-based returns for the White Oil Pipeline project from Machike (Faisalabad) to Tarujaba has been postponed due to the incomplete constitution of the authority. The project involves SOCAR, Pakistan State Oil and Frontier Works Organisation and is aimed at improving oil transportation efficiency.

Currently, OGRA has Member Oil, Member Gas and Member Finance in place. However, no notification has been issued to assign additional charge to the senior-most member as acting chairman. Tariff approvals, licensing matters and major regulatory decisions require a fully constituted authority.

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said the ministry has moved a summary for appointment of a new chairman and that a notification will be issued soon.

Industry representatives said delays in filling the position could affect decision-making timelines in a sector where regulatory clarity is considered critical for investment and operational planning.