Pakistan seeks two Qatari LNG cargoes, holds talks with Iran for safe passage through Strait of Hormuz

Pakistan is accelerating efforts to secure two liquefied natural gas cargoes from Qatar, with authorities coordinating diplomatic and operational steps to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, The News reported.

Officials in the Energy Ministry said both vessels are already loaded and positioned near the chokepoint, awaiting clearance as discussions continue with Iranian authorities to facilitate their transit.

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik held talks with the Iranian ambassador in Islamabad, followed by consultations between Pakistani officials and Iranian leadership to arrange the crossover of the ships into open waters bound for Pakistan.

The push comes as current LNG supplies are expected to meet demand only for the first 10 days of May. The LNG carrier Seapeak Magellan, docked at the Pakistan GasPort Consortium Limited terminal, is supplying around 300 million cubic feet per day of re-gasified LNG.

Of this, about 250 MMcfd is allocated to the power sector, along with 150 MMcfd of local gas priced at RLNG rates, while 45 MMcfd is being diverted to K-Electric for power generation.

Officials said the Seapeak Magellan cargo, carrying approximately 140,000 cubic metres of LNG, was arranged by TotalEnergies at $18.40 per MMBtu.

The situation follows earlier disruptions when multiple LNG cargoes from Qatar were stranded due to regional tensions linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran, which affected shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Despite supply constraints, the Power Division said electricity supply has remained stable, with no large-scale load shedding reported. Officials attributed this to LNG availability and higher hydropower generation, which is contributing around 6,000 megawatts to the grid.

Authorities said the timely arrival of the two Qatari cargoes is necessary to maintain supply levels and meet rising demand during the early summer period.