A Department Circular to promote the use of coco-biodiesel as an alternative clean fuel.

A Memorandum Circular directing all Departments, Bureaus, Offices and Instrumentalities of the Government, including Government-owned and controlled, Corporations to incorporate the use of one percent (1%) by volume coconut methyl ester (CME) in their diesel requirements.

The principal objectives of this Policy are: 1. To accelerate E&P activities in Pakistan with a view to achieve maximum self sufficiency in energy by increasing oil and gas production. 2. To promote direct foreign investment in Pakistan by increasing the competitiveness of its terms of investment in the upstream sector. 3. To promote the involvement of Pakistani oil and gas companies in the country’s upstream investment opportunities. 4. To train the Pakistani professionals in E& P sector to international standards and create favourable conditions for their retaining within the country. 5. To promote increased E&P activity in the onshore frontier areas by providing globally competitive incentives. 6. To enable a more proactive management of resources through establishment of a reorganized Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions (DGPC) comprising of a Federal and Provincial representatives with Federal Director as ex-officio Director General and providing the necessary control and procedures to enhance the effective management of Pakistan’s petroleum reserves. Role of reorganized Directorate General of Petroleum Concessions is given in Appendix – A. 7. To ensure the energy secure of the country by enhancing domestic exploration 8. To decrease reliance on imported energy by providing additional incentives to exploration and production companies for enhancing indigenous production 9. To undertake exploitation of oil and gas resources in a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable and responsible manner.

A Department Circular mandating a minimum of 2% blend of biodiesel in all diesel and 5% bioethanol in annual total volume of gasoline.

The Low BTU Gas Pricing Policy, 2012 is aimed at achieving the following principal objectives: 1) Fast track development and production of gas from the existing discovered Low BTU Gas reservoirs which have remained dormant due to poor economics. 2) Opportunity for the investors for exploration and production of Low BTU Gas which would help increase the power generation capacity of the country and reduce the energy deficit. 3) Additional revenues for the Government in the form of Royalty and Taxes. 5 4) Improving balance of payments position by reducing the need for import of other fuels such as LNG and Fuel Oil requiring massive foreign exchange outflow. 5) Producing additional power at affordable tariff for the consumers by using indigenous gas resources. 6) Boosting local manufacturing of equipments for production of Low BTU Gas. 7) Increasing security of energy supplies.

The purpose of this Tight Gas Exploration & Production Policy 2011 (Policy) is to establish the policies, procedures, tax and pricing regime in respect of exploration and production of tight gas in Pakistan.

These rules shall be applicable to the onshore areas of Pakistan and shall regulate all petroleum rights except those relating to Coal Bed Methane.

The Government of Pakistan is cognizant of the role of mineral industry in the overall economic and social development of the country and its importance in industrial and export promotion. It is also conscious of the unique characteristics of the mining industry like highly risk prone, capital intensive and subject to global competition with high volatility of prices. To harness the fairly adequate mineral potential with national and international investment, the Government of Pakistan has formulated National Mineral Policy offering appropriate institutional arrangements at federal and provincial levels; time bound investment friendly regulatory regime and internationally competitive fiscal incentives.

The Minerals Law 2005 regulates the development and appropriate use of the Mineral resources of Afghanistan. This Law has been enacted pursuant to Article 9 of the Constitution of Afghanistan.