The Federal Government has agreed in principle to restore 35 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas supply to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, paving the way for the reopening of CNG stations across the province from Thursday. The announcement was made during a joint press conference in Islamabad by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Finance Muzzammil Aslam, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and Leader of the Opposition in the provincial assembly Dr. Ibadullah.
Key Announcements and Reactions
Mr. Aslam said the decision followed sustained engagement between the provincial and federal governments led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. He thanked the governor and opposition leadership for supporting the province's stance on what he described as a matter of public importance. Referring to Article 158 of the Constitution, the provincial finance adviser said natural gas produced within a province should be prioritised for consumption by that province. He maintained that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, being one of the country's major gas-producing regions, had a legitimate claim to uninterrupted supply.
Benefits of Gas Restoration
Mr. Aslam said the restoration of gas would help facilitate cheaper electricity generation and support industrial growth in the province. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had the potential to emerge as a major oil and gas hub in the future and therefore deserved increased industrial investment. He also called for greater financial allocations for the merged districts in the upcoming federal budget and demanded that the province be granted the share of former FATA under the National Finance Commission Award. Criticising delays in federal disbursements, Mr. Aslam said funds under the Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP), which should have been released in July 2025 under the quarterly schedule, were instead issued in April 2026.
Governor's Confirmation
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi confirmed that CNG stations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would resume operations from Thursday, with uninterrupted gas supply to be ensured daily from 6am to 6pm. He said political parties in the province had demonstrated unity in resolving public issues and stressed that strengthening the federation required addressing the legitimate concerns of all provinces. The governor said the matter had been taken up directly with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, following which an agreement was reached on the restoration of 35 MMCFD gas supply. He further said the federal and provincial governments were jointly working on other outstanding issues, including the wheat crisis, which he expressed hope would be resolved within days.
Opposition's Positive Response
Opposition Leader Dr. Ibadullah described the outcome of the negotiations as a positive development for both democratic consensus and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the province's political leadership had acted with unity on a matter of public interest. Separately, Mr. Kundi thanked the prime minister for constituting a committee to address the gas supply issue and acknowledged the role played by Prime Minister's Adviser Rana Sanaullah and Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik in facilitating the agreement.
