Qatar has reached an agreement with Pakistan that will see the Gulf state export 1.5 million tonnes per annum (tpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the Asian country.
Energy officials from both countries met in Doha to discuss the deal. News agency Bloomberg reported that the move comes after Pakistan failed to agree terms with neighbouring Iran over a proposed pipeline.
“There is a shortage,” Asim Hussain, an energy adviser to the Pakistani government is quoted by Bloomberg as saying. “We are a country that is not self-sufficient in gas.”
It is believed that Pakistan wanted 3.2 million tpa, but Qatar were unable to provide that much LNG.
The proposed pipeline from Iran ran into difficulties amid financing and security concerns.
Qatar has the world’s third largest reserves opf natuaral gas.
