Pakistan has formally invoked price-review clauses in its two government-to-government liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply agreements with Qatar, opening talks aimed at cheaper gas, fewer cargoes and emergency winter supplies. A high-level delegation led by Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik has arrived in Doha for negotiations with QatarEnergy on revising the long-term contracts, the immediate winter supply position and the delivery plan for 2027.

What Pakistan wants from the review

Under the review clause, both sides must examine whether the pricing formula sits within the range of comparable LNG contracts, benchmarked against reputable industry publications. Pakistan first asked for the price under its 2016 contract to fall from 13.37 per cent of Brent crude to 10.20 per cent. QatarEnergy rejected that figure but has since offered 11.96 per cent of Brent across both agreements, and Pakistan has also asked to cut its annual commitment from 108 cargoes to 66. The two contracts — a 15-year deal from 2016 and a 10-year deal from 2021 — both run until 2031.

Winter supply under pressure

The talks come as QatarEnergy’s force majeure on LNG supplies runs until the end of December, disrupting shipments through the Strait of Hormuz; one Pakistan-bound cargo has already been affected. Pakistan is seeking one extra cargo for November and four to five cargoes each for December and January, against overall requirements of nine cargoes in December and 11 in January. Household demand is expected to surge as winter sets in, leaving power plants, industry and fertiliser units facing possible cuts if the shortfall is not covered.