Domestic gas shortage to intensify

LAHORE – Gas supplies to industries and CNG stations will be restored from today and domestic users will suffer a further gas shortage, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) sources told Pakistan Today. Gas supply remained suspended in the city while gas pressure for domestic users in many areas remained very low on Tuesday.
SNGPL sources said the situation will worsen for domestic users, as industry and CNG stations will be facilitated. They said domestic users were already not getting enough gas and now supplies to industries will result in intensifying gas shortage for domestic use.
Yesterday was another gas-less day for the residents of Muslim Town, Mozang, Township, Model Town, Gulberg, Garden Town, Wapda Town, Harbanspura, Ghazi Road, Walton, RA Bazaar and Walled City.
Though some areas are getting gas supplies but the pressure in these areas is very low. “Even when the industries and CNG stations were closed, domestic users were facing problems and now when both of these sectors will be given gas, then there will be not enough supplies for the domestic users,” said an official of SNGPL. The company is facing huge political pressure from the industrial sector and has no option but to restore gas to both sectors and the situation could improve only after cold decreases.
However, All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) ruled out any possible shortage after gas’s restoration to CNG stations, and said the sun was now out in the South Punjab and use of heaters had also decreased. “It is a political stunt by PPP and PML-N. At least 400 mmcf gas supplies has been added in the SNGPL capacity this year, still the company is depriving consumers of gas,” said APCNGA Supreme Council Chairman Abdullah Ghayas Paracha.
The domestic consumers said they were in deep trouble owing to gas closure. “Now we have become habitual of not having gas,” taunted a consumer, Ehsan Chaudhry, adding that people were praying for sunshine, so that temperature may rise and gas pressure is restored. “We don’t need gas for heaters or geysers, as according to SNGPL, they were luxuries and we should not use them, but we need gas for cooking,” said another user, Mobeen Hasan.