Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed to prepare a roadmap to steer thecountry out of gas crisis.

Addressing a seminar on Natural Gas Supply in Islamabad on Wednesday, hepointed out that the indigenous gas reserves are depleting and the countryis now importing the gas.

The Prime Minister, however, said there is a big difference in the price ofdomestic gas and the imported gas. This is resulting in the increase ofcircular debt in the gas sector.

He pointed out that twenty seven percent of our households have access topiped gas whilst the remaining rely on the LPG cylinders which is fourtimes more expensive than the piped gas. He said the subsidy should besuch that facilitates the poor lot.

Imran Khan regretted that no long term planning was done in the past tocope with the energy crisis. He said no effort was also made to exploit thehydro potential of the country to produce cheap electricity.

The Prime Minister said we are grateful to the Independent Power Producers(IPPs) for renegotiating the contracts with the government. He said we willapprise the nation next week about the savings to be accrued from theserenewal of contracts that will help reduce burden on the people.