RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has granted Master Marketing International (MMI) (Private) Limited, a licence to sell natural gas, giving the private-sector firm a foothold in Pakistan’s regulated gas market under the new third-party access (TPA) regime.

The licence, numbered NG-51/2026, was issued under the OGRA Ordinance, 2002, and the Natural Gas Regulatory Authority (Licensing) Rules, 2002. The authority’s letter, dated September 14, 2026, was addressed to Irfan Ghouri, Chairman and CEO of Master Marketing International (MMI).

Speaking about the development, Ghouri said the licence formally authorises MMI to sell natural gas within the applicable regulatory framework and brings the company under OGRA’s licensing regime for third-party gas sales. He described the government’s 35 percent third-party gas sale regime as a necessary step to safeguard exploration and production (E&P) companies as well as the industrial consumer market. By opening the sector to private players and addressing industrial constraints, he said, the government has effectively created an open market for stakeholders. “This allows third-party companies to operate in parallel with the Sui companies, helping the country’s economy,” Ghouri said, calling the regime a milestone achievement for the government. He noted that the regime is already operational, with two other companies active in the market alongside MMI.

He added that the framework could also attract foreign investors, saying overseas investors had already shown interest in and appreciated the regime, which he said would open new avenues for the national economy.