Pakistan is moving away from imported liquefied natural gas by halting the construction of new gas-fired power plants and prioritizing domestic energy sources instead. According to the authors of the newly released report, the country intends to replace these imports with a combination of renewable energy, nuclear power, locally mined coal, and increased domestic gas exploration.
The report states that Pakistan’s government decided to “stop building new power plants relying on LNG or other imports, and focus on domestic power capacity from renewable, nuclear, and locally-mined coal power.” Additionally, the country’s state-run oil company announced plans for a “major expansion of unconventional gas developments” to boost production and reduce reliance on foreign fuel.
In simpler terms, Pakistan is trying to save money and improve its energy security by using resources it already has at home rather than buying expensive gas from other countries. By tapping into its own coal and gas reserves—even those that are harder to reach—and encouraging people to use solar power, the government hopes to avoid the high costs and supply shortages that come with the global gas market.
The briefing ‘Southern Asia’s gas plans may be overblown’ was released by Global Energy Monitor in March 2026. Prepared by authors Robert Rozansky and Julie Joly, the report analyzes how geopolitical shocks and falling renewable costs are undermining ambitious gas infrastructure projects across India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
