The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, approved a new pricing mechanism for natural gas as part of Pakistan’s broader economic reforms under the IMF programme. While the framework introduces changes in tariff adjustment procedures, domestic consumer gas rates will remain unchanged for now.
According to the new system, the federal government will revise gas prices 40 days after OGRA’s biannual determination. Although household gas tariffs have been maintained, officials confirmed an increase in fixed charges for domestic consumers, though the exact scale remains undisclosed.
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For industrial, wholesale, and power sector consumers, the ECC approved an average 10% hike in gas tariffs. Authorities say the adjustment is crucial to bridge fiscal shortfalls in the energy sector and meet IMF-mandated targets.
The ECC also formed a ten-member steering committee to assess the need for sugar imports amid concerns over local reserves and expected price fluctuations. The recommendations will soon be presented to the Cabinet Committee on Sugar.
In addition, the ECC gave in-principle approval to a risk coverage scheme for small farmers, aiming to disburse 750,000 agricultural loans worth Rs300 billion over three years. The initiative will launch on August 14, with Rs37.5 billion allocated for risk coverage and administrative expenses.
Several technical supplementary grants were also approved, including Rs158.4 million for the Ministry of Defence, Rs2,604 billion for debt repayments, and Rs5.5 billion for SUPARCO, all framed as part of a larger effort to streamline financial management under ongoing fiscal consolidation.
