Conflicts in the Strait of Hormuz Dragged Pakistan into a Natural Gas Crisis

The renewed clashes between the Amerika Birleşik Devletleri and İran in the Strait of Hormuz region have severely disrupted Pakistan's liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply. The halt in gas flows from the Gulf region since Mart has brought a deep and devastating energy crisis to the country. The Islamabad administration is striving to find alternative energy sources, especially during this period when the summer months are particularly challenging. The complete stoppage of LNG shipments from Katar has once again exposed the fragility of Pakistan's energy infrastructure. This situation serves as a bitter proof of the decisive impact of global supply chains and geopolitical tensions on local economies.

The energy deficit in the country has produced highly tangible and destructive consequences, profoundly affecting daily life. Amir Jahangir, founding partner and CEO of Mishal Pakistan, stated that the country is struggling with a massive daily electricity deficit of 4.000 megawatts. This massive deficit is not merely a piece of data or statistic, but a direct indicator of the public's suffering. While hospitals rely on backup generators to run emergency service operations, factories have been forced to restrict their production schedules and shifts. Power outages at two in the afternoon increasingly make the struggle for survival at home harder for families under the scorching summer heat.

The Pakistan government and officials are focusing on three main strategies to overcome this deadly crisis. These include diversifying long-term supply contracts, establishing truly usable strategic gas reserves, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy. Furthermore, the rapid depletion of domestic gas fields necessitates an increase in the country's local energy production capacity. Officials are in search of permanent solutions to reduce external dependence and guarantee energy security. However, the implementation of these infrastructural transformations is not expected to instantly resolve the acute crisis the country is currently facing.

Despite the magnitude of the crisis, support from the international community and the search for alternative supplies have largely been fruitless so far. The French energy giant TotalEnergies and various American LNG suppliers had initiated discussions to make new agreements with Pakistan. However, these negotiations between company officials and Islamabad have continuously faced standstills and delays. Price disagreements, logistical challenges, and fluctuations in the global market stand out as some of the primary obstacles to a sound agreement. Pakistan's failure to achieve a result from these negotiations means that the public must brace for even harder days as the winter months approach.

This ongoing crisis is also a reflection of the economic problems Pakistan has been unable to cope with over the past few years, as well as its flawed energy policies. Because in early 2026, thanks to solar energy becoming incredibly cheap, Pakistan actually had an LNG surplus, and gas prices were unable to compete. During that period, investments in renewable energy and the import of cheap solar panels had provided the country with temporary relief. However, insufficient infrastructure investments and the outbreak of a geopolitical crisis instantly eliminated this advantage, pushing the country into further deprivation. Now, Pakistan needs to abandon the luxury of cheap energy from the past and establish a much more resilient, multi-tiered, and predictable national energy strategy.