The government is considering a temporary shutdown of up to six fertilizer plants as part of contingency planning to manage gas supplies amid disruptions in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports linked to regional tensions.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb informed the Senate Standing Committee on Finance on Thursday that the country currently holds a higher stock of fertilizer compared to last year, giving authorities room to temporarily halt production at certain facilities without creating shortages.
The proposal is being examined as part of broader energy management measures after delays in LNG shipments from Qatar.
Officials said the government is working to optimize gas allocation so that critical sectors continue to receive uninterrupted supplies while overall energy consumption is managed during the supply disruption.
