Pakistan seeks immediate supply of petrol from India

Soon after removing restrictions on import of goods from India, Pakistan has sought immediate supplies of petrol from the country to meet widening deficit.The government is expected to bring out a notification next month allowing import of certain goods, including petrol and food items from India, Energy Secretary Ejaz Chaudhry said on Friday.I discussed importing petrol from India during talks with Petroleum Secretary G C Chaturvedi here, Pakistan Secretary for Petroleum and Natural Resources Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry said on the sidelines of the 7th Asia Gas Partnership Summit.Global oil major Royal Dutch Shell and South Koreas Daewoo are among the four-to-five companies participating in a tender to supply liquefied natural gas to Pakistan, Chaudhry said.Pakistan with shortage of fuel is looking at starting petrol imports from India using tankers as early as next month but issues of quality and specification need to be sorted out before that.Recently, Pakistan liberalised imports, lifting restrictions on all but 1,200 products. It is also expected to give India the Most-Favoured Nation (MFN) trade status that would help normalise trade by ending huge restriction. India gave MFN status to Pakistan in 1996.