Islamabad, January 6, 2026: The 12th meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on the Petroleum Division was held on Tuesday at the Parliament House under the chairmanship of Syed Mustafa Mehmood, MNA, during which the Committee was informed that no increase in gas prices would be made during the winter season on the directions of the Prime Minister.
Briefing the Committee, the Federal Minister for Petroleum said that domestic gas supply was being enhanced to meet winter demand and assured members that the government had decided not to burden consumers with higher gas tariffs during the ongoing season. He also informed the Committee that the circular debt of the Petroleum Division had been reduced, reflecting improved financial management. Additionally, he stated that Sui gas meters would now be installed on payment of the prescribed normal fee.
At the outset, the Committee confirmed the minutes of its previous meeting and recommended that a compliance report on the recommendations of the meeting held on August 8, 2025 be submitted at the next meeting.
The Parliamentary Secretary for the Petroleum Division informed the Committee that the Chairman of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee had been appointed. The Chair recalled that a Sub-Committee had earlier examined the composition, funding, and utilisation of CSR funds and conveyed its recommendations to the Petroleum Division, including revised allocation and utilisation mechanisms. It was also stated that the CSR-related provisions of the Petroleum Policy, 2013 had been addressed accordingly.
During the discussion, Syed Naveed Qamar, MNA, suggested that the Chairman of the CSR Committee should preferably be an MNA from a district with higher gas exploration activity. However, the Chair observed that CSR funds were not being utilised effectively under the existing arrangement and recommended devising a new composition of the CSR Committee to ensure transparency and proper utilisation of funds.
The Additional Secretary, Petroleum Division, informed the Committee that the Ministry of Industries and Production had been consulted on CSR matters and relevant documents shared with the Minister for Petroleum. He assured that the Ministry would come prepared for a detailed discussion in the next meeting. Consequently, the Committee recommended that CSR provisions of the Petroleum Policy, 2013 be compared with other relevant policies, and a report—including the incorporation of a renewable energy component—be submitted in the next meeting.
The Committee also reviewed a detailed presentation on funds deposited by Exploration and Production companies for training purposes under the Petroleum Exploration and Production Policy, 2012, and their utilisation over the past three years. Agenda Item No. 04, relating to a briefing by Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) on their commercial arrangements with private sector entities, was deferred.
Furthermore, the Committee recommended that a report on action taken against Petroleum Division employees in Balochistan involved in gas theft and meter tampering be submitted at the next meeting. Emphasising institutional strengthening, the Committee stressed the need for capacity building of the Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions (DGPC) and directed that a progress update on its restructuring, including timelines and financial implications, be presented in a forthcoming meeting.
The Committee also directed the Petroleum Division to obtain reports from provinces on the utilisation of CSR funds and place them before the Committee in the next meeting.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Anwar Ul Haq Chaudhary, Shaista Khan, Mian Khan Bugti, Haji Jamal Shah Kakar, Syed Naveed Qamar, Asad Alam Niazi, Salahuddin Junejo, and Muhammad Moin Aamer Pirzada, along with senior officers from the Petroleum Division, SSGCL, SNGPL, and OGRA.
