The Senate was informed on Friday that six companies had shown interest to set up oil refineries in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal told the House during question hour that these companies belonged to UAE, Switzerland and Pakistan.
He said the federal government in cooperation with the provincial government was facilitating private sector and hoped that soon progress would be made in this regard. He said average daily oil production from Kohat, Karak and Hangu districts of KP during the current financial year was 43,299 barrels.
Answering a question, Jam Kamal said the matter was being taken up with the elders of Darra Adamkhel for natural gas supply project through a written agreement ensuring the remaining villages would not obtain illegal pipeline network and those villages covered in the approved meterage would pay their monthly bills regularly.
He said after assurance from the elders of the area, the SNGPL would take the project forward. Meanwhile, responding to a calling attention notice moved by Saleem Mandviwala regarding depleting water resources in the country, particularly in Balochistan, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali told the House that the federal government would provide resources to Balochistan for resolving the issue of water scarcity.
He said the water resources were depleting in the country and there was a need to build water reservoirs. He said it was a serious issue and the government was taking steps in this regard.