Business Desk 
Nov 13, 2025
An image of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker tugging towards a thermal power station in Futtsu, east of Tokyo, Japan, on November 13, 2017. — Reuters
Pakistan has asked Qatar to divert 29 RLNG cargoes scheduled for 2026, as the country’s domestic gas demand continues to decline.
This move is expected to reduce import costs and ease pressure on the national economy.
According to senior officials of the Petroleum Division, the recent request represents an upward revision from the previous proposal, in which Pakistan asked Qatar to divert 24 cargoes.
“Qatari authorities are expected to respond to Pakistan’s request on November 15, 2025,” one official said. Pakistan had initially received positive feedback from Doha on the previous diversion plan, giving Islamabad hope for another approval.
If approved, the LNG diversion could save around $339.6 million in foreign exchange, officials added.
Each cargo shipment is valued at approximately Rs28.3 million, which contributes to the country’s long-term LNG supply contract with QatarEnergy.
However, the agreement has a Net Proceeds Differential clause. Therefore, any profit generated from selling diverted cargoes above the contract price will belong to Qatar; Pakistan will bear any losses, which could be as high as $10 million per cargo, including its operational costs.
The Petroleum Division mentioned that Doha’s final response is anticipated by November 15, 2025. The decision may bring new prospects for Pakistan to adjust to changing consumption patterns, considering that the usage of industrial and domestic gas continues to shrink.
