By Aamir Latif

PAKISTAN (AA) - Pakistan has received its maiden shipment of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Russia amid a growing gas shortfall in the South Asian nuclear country. The shipment was imported by the private sector, officials told Anadolu.

The 100,000 metric tons shipment, according to the Russian Embassy in Pakistan, was delivered through neighboring Iran months after Pakistan received its first-ever delivery of Russian crude oil in line with a deal struck between the two countries earlier this year.

"Russia has delivered the first batch of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the amount of 100 thousand metric tons to Pakistan through Iran's Sarakhs Special Economic Zone," the Russian embassy said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Consultations for the second shipment are currently underway, the statement said.

However, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Petroleum and Gas told Anadolu that the LPG has been imported by the private sector through Iran.

"The government doesn't import (the) LPG," she said.

In January this year, Russia agreed to provide oil and gas to Pakistan at "discounted" rates in order to meet Islamabad's rising domestic and industrial energy needs.

The procurement of crude oil and gas has long been at the center of local politics, particularly after the visit of former Prime Minister Imran Khan only a day before Russia launched its war on Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Khan, who was deposed in a no-confidence vote in parliament in April of last year, claimed that his visit to Moscow was one of the reasons for his ouster.

Currently, the South Asian nuclear country meets 80% of its oil requirements, or roughly 154,000 barrels per day, from traditional Gulf and Arab suppliers, mainly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

In July, Islamabad signed a framework agreement with Azerbaijan for the procurement of LNG on flexible terms to meet its domestic energy requirements.