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Energy requirements

Directive to prepare

contingency plan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday ordered that contingency plans - including the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) option - be prepared, in case of delay in the gas import pipeline project, in view of the fast growing demand for gas.

The Premier directed this during a presentation by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.

The question of increase in marketing companies' margin and dealers' commission "will be considered at a time when oil prices are low so that there is no impact on consumer prices or receipts of the government". Such an increase should also be linked to the construction and development of new storage and infrastructure by the marketing companies.

During the presentation, the Premier directed for constitution of a Security Board in the Ministry of Interior which should include representatives of IB, ISI, MI, Ministry of Defence, Interior Division, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and the concerned Home Departments of the Provincial governments, "in order to expedite the security clearance". The Board will meet fortnightly and will clear all pending cases.

Those attending the presentation included Federal Petroleum Minister Anwar Saifullah Khan; V.A. Jafarey, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance; and Shahid Hassan Khan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs, besides high officials.

The Premier directed that after the pre-shipment inspection abroad, the imported goods should not be reinspected on arrival in Pakistan and should be allowed to move through the green channels. She also desired that delays in this process should be removed by the Ministry of Finance.

In order the resolve the problem of interpretation of SROs and agreement by field officers of the Customs Department, the Premier directed that if a complaint is received from any investor, the matter be reported to the Prime Minister's Secretariat by the Ministry of Petroleum for investigation by the Ombudsman.

On a suggestion by the Secretary Board of Investment, the Premier desired that utilization level of indigenous coal should be increased gradually.

It was agreed that efforts should be made to protect the existing agreements. However, for the new investors it would not be possible to grant any exemption.-APP