Islamabad, Jan 5, 2026: A meeting was held today at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to deliberate on the future of the SNG air pre-mix gas plants in Chitral, specifically for the areas of Drosh, Ayun and Chitral.
The meeting, chaired by Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ali Parvez Malik, was attended by key stakeholders, including Minister for Kashmir Affairs and President of PML-N KP Eng Amir Muqam, who participated via Zoom. Moreover, Shahzada Iftikharuddin, former MNA from Chitral, also attended the meeting.
The primary focus of the discussion was the status of the three gas plants in Chitral, which have faced prolonged delays and cancellations. Eng Muqam strongly advocated for the revival of these vital projects, stressing their importance for meeting the region’s energy requirements.
The gas plants, originally approved under previous plans, were controversially cancelled by the Economic Coordination Council (ECC) during the PTI-led government in 2020. At that time, the decision to auction both the land and equipment meant for the plants — intended for Singoor (Chitral), Dondigaal (Drosh) and Ayun (Broz) — had caused significant concern among local residents and stakeholders.
A major outcome of today’s meeting was the decision to schedule a follow-up session next week, which will also be chaired by Minister Ali Parvez Malik. This meeting will include Eng Muqam and Shahzada Iftikharuddin, and its goal is to finalize the recommendations for the gas plants at Drosh, Ayun and Chitral. These recommendations will then be presented to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif within seven days, with the aim of getting formal approval.
The cancellation of the three gas plants back in 2020 had sparked widespread criticism, particularly in Chitral, where Shahzada Iftikharuddin successfully pursued the case in the Peshawar High Court. In 2022, the high court issued a ruling halting the auction of both the land and equipment intended for the plants. This ruling has provided a new momentum to the efforts for their revival.
With the formal approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the ministry will then submit the case to the Economic Coordination Council (ECC) for final consideration, which could pave the way for the revival of the gas plants and bring much-needed energy relief to the residents of these remote and underserved areas.
Related:
Ex-MNA fighting legal battle for Chitral’s gas plants.