PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID) APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: 64701 Natural Gas Efficiency Project Project Name Public Disclosure Authorized Region South Asia Country Pakistan Sector Oil and gas (100%) Lending Instrument Specific Investment Loan Project ID P120589 Borrower(s) Government of Pakistan Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources Pak Secretariat, Block A Pakistan Tel: (92-51) 921-1220 Fax: (92-51) 920-1770
[email protected] Implementing Agency Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) Public Disclosure Authorized Sir Shah Suleman Road Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 14 Karachi 75300 Pakistan Tel: (92-21) 9231602 Fax: (92-21) 9231620
[email protected] Environmental Screening Category [ ] A [X] B [ ] C [ ] FI [ ] TBD (to be determined) Date PID Prepared September 9, 2011 Date of Appraisal Completion February 14, 2011 Estimated Date of Board Approval December 15, 2011 Decision Project authorized to proceed to negotiations upon Public Disclosure Authorized agreement of pending conditions and/or assessments I. Country Context 1. Pakistan has important strategic endowments and development potential. The country is located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, China and the Middle East. This places Pakistan at the fulcrum of a regional market with a vast population, large and diverse resources, and an untapped potential for trade. But Pakistan faces long-term challenges to realizing its growth potential. It requires a strong and stable tax base, and more efficient public spending to expand fiscal space. Other measures required include creating adequate employment opportunities; improving income distribution; and harnessing economic competitiveness through trade, investment, improved business environment, and competition. Today, Pakistan’s key economic challenges are the large fiscal deficit and energy shortages.