Making a true calculation of the country’s existing and future energy needs, the incumbent coalition government has aligned its strategy to achieve self-sufficiency in the oil and gas sector by stepping up exploration activities to exploit indigenous resources in potential areas. The Petroleum Division, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has taken solid steps to find a permanent solution to energy scarcity and reduce reliance on imported fuel by attracting investment in the oil and gas sector. For this purpose, the government during its first six months, not only restored 11 revoked licences of different Exploration and Production (E&P) companies but also received bids for the award of 14 new exploration blocks through a transparent bidding process to make the much-needed new oil and gas reserves. With the award of new E&P blocks, the country would get more than $ 92.8 million investment in three years, besides the utilization of funds amounting to over $1.2 million by the successive E&P companies under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to carry out welfare activities in surroundings localities of their oil and gas production fields. The country’s existing hydrocarbon deposits are depleting at the rate of around 10 per cent annually because E&P companies unfortunately could not make any major discovery since long. It is hoped that with the restoration of the revoked E&P licenses and the award of new exploration blocks, the companies would accelerate drilling activities to exploit the country’s real potential of indigenous resources. A senior official privy to petroleum sector developments told APP that the government was cognizant of the prevailing oil and gas supply situation and had made sufficient arrangements to meet the needs of the country accordingly. On instructions of PM Shehbaz Sharif, he said, the supply of petroleum products and gas to consumers was being monitored daily.