Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed authorities to prioritise the exploration of new oil and gas resources to reduce Pakistan’s reliance on costly petroleum imports and conserve foreign exchange.

Chairing a high-level meeting on the Petroleum Division, the prime minister said the development of domestic energy resources was vital for economic stability.

He also ordered the priority digitisation of the entire oil and gas supply chain, covering imports as well as domestic production and distribution.

The prime minister said digitising the supply chain would help curb the smuggling of petroleum products, adding that the move would ultimately benefit the national exchequer.

During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on a comprehensive roadmap for the petroleum and gas sector.

They said Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) had discovered significant new oil and gas reservoirs in the Nashpa Block in Kohat district.

Shehbaz congratulated the nation on the discovery and praised the departments involved for their efforts. Officials said the new reserves were expected to produce around 4,100 barrels of oil per day.

The meeting was also told that domestic consumers experienced improved gas pressure during the current winter season compared with last year. Officials said work on RLNG connections had been accelerated, with a target of providing 350,000 new connections by June 2026.

Pipelines for the Sheva and Batani gas fields have been commissioned, while work on the pipeline from the Kot Palak gas field is underway, the meeting was informed.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, and senior government officials attended the meeting.