Power, petroleum ministries to be merged

A employee installs a new electricity tower in Karachi. -AFP File Photo

ISLAMABAD: With the oil import bill estimated to increase by about 300 per cent to $38 billion by 2015, the government has concurred with the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) to merge the ministries of power and petroleum and their sectoral regulators for an integrated solution to the energy crisis.
The government has also agreed to substantially increase power tariff for domestic consumers using over 300 units per month to bring it on a par with the average tariff for industrial and commercial consumers.

SC directs Petroleum Ministry in LNG case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday suggested the government to reconsider a multi-billion dollar contract for LNG import.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry asked the Secretary Petroleum to consult Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and inform the court if the Economic Coordination Committee could reconsider the LNG import contract.