LAHORE – Gas supply to domestic consumers and CNG stations remained suspended on Monday creating a lot of problems for citizens. The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had announced to supply gas to CNG stations and industries for five days a week but according to SNGPL sources, gas supply to CNG stations in Lahore would be restored on Wednesday at 6am while the industrial sector would also get gas for five days a week. Earlier, industries in Punjab were given supplies for three days, resulting in closure of many industrial units and an increase in unemployment. Consumers expressed anger over the situation and said that the SNGPL did not keep its words in the past and they expect the situation to continue in the future as well.
All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) Chairman Abdullah Ghayas Paracha said that the SNGPL had made tall claims in the past on supplying gas to CNG stations but the ground reality was quite different. “Whenever the SNGPL feels like, it suspends supplies to CNG stations despite the fact that CNG stations consume only six percent of the country’s total gas and facilitate 2.5 million vehicles,” Paracha said adding that now the SNGPL said that there would be no gas for CNG stations for only Monday and Tuesday. “We have serious doubts on this claim,” he lamented.
The APCNGA demanded the federal government to accept their demands and stop gas load shedding and if it did not accept demands of the CNG sector, a joint strike of all CNG stations, petrol pumps and public transporters would be observed in Punjab. The APCNGA meeting was presided over by its Punjab zone Chairman Fiaz Gilani and Potohar zone Chairman Ashar Haleem. The meeting passed a unanimous resolution that if the meeting with Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Syed Naveed Qamar Shah scheduled for today (Tuesday) goes in vain, the CNG sector would observe a strike.
Paracha said that the CNG sector was very hopeful about the meeting with Qamar otherwise it would not cooperate with the SNGPL anymore. “We have been continuously drawing the government’s attention towards this serious crisis but it did not notice the situation owing to which a serious gas management crisis has hit us,” Paracha said adding that a flawed gas distribution policy was behind the situation. The federal government should now realise the reality and resume the traditional gas distribution system, he said. Domestic users said that they are facing great problems due to gas closure. Gas supply remained suspended or was very low in most city areas including Gulberg, Rehmanpura, Township, Model Town, WAPDA Town, Johar Town, Mozang and the Walled City.
Housewife Attiya Khan said that the SNGPL advertisements are so ridiculous and make a mockery of consumers. “The advertisements appeal to consumers not to use gas heaters and geysers but in reality there is not enough gas to even light both of them,” she said adding that there is not enough gas for even cooking food. Citizen Zunaira Maqbool said that like previous years, the SNGPL has failed to facilitate domestic consumers. “The policy of SNGPL for facilitating domestic users has failed badly this winter as well,” she lamented. SNGPL authorities could not even give a one-day respite to CNG stations, which have been closed since Saturday night.
