Pakistan's LNG Supplies Hit by Strait of Hormuz Delay

A liquefied natural gas tanker bound for Pakistan has been rerouted due to circumstances that do not involve US involvement, according to the U.S. Central Command.

The Al-Areesh, which loaded at Qatar's Ras Laffan terminal in early July, was initially expected to arrive in Pakistan on July 31 but now faces a delay until August 6 after passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistan relies heavily on Qatari LNG for power generation and has already spent over $400 million on spot market purchases since February to replace canceled deliveries.

A Bloomberg source claims that Iran ordered the tanker to suspend its voyage to Pakistan, while a U.S. Central Command spokesman denies US involvement in changing the vessel's route.