The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) will observe no Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) loadshedding to filling stations from Monday to Sunday to facilitate consumers on Eid-ul-Fitr.
The SNGPL said a new plan would be issued after Eid, given annual maintenance on Qadirpur Gas field, which produces 450 million cubic feet gas per day and accounts for about 10 percent of the country’s natural gas output.
Recently, the SNGPL announced a schedule for CNG filling stations in Potohar region and different cities of Punjab province, reducing gas-loadshedding to two days a week.
Presently, the gas supply to CNG filling stations remains suspended for two days instead of three days.
In Potohar region, Bahawalpur and Faisalabad supply is suspended on Thursdays and Fridays, while in Lahore, Multan, Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, gas supply is suspended on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The CNG association had demanded that government end CNG loadshedding to provide relief to consumers during Ramadan.
The association had written a letter to the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain addressing the subject. The association had conveyed to authorities concerned that it was facing pressure from all of Punjab’s CNG station owners to end the three-day gas loadshedding. The association said the government needed to review the mandatory closure of CNG to filling stations during Ramadan.
The association assured the government if it considered the association’s appeal, it would pass the relief onto consumers.
The association said CNG consumption decreases in Ramadan due to a decrease in activity and movement during the month which made gas load management easier.
The association said people had to brave extreme weather conditions when they line up at CNG stations during their fasts due to the gas loadshedding by SNGPL. The association said the CNG sector consumed 7.2 percent of the country’s gas and targeting it produces negative effects since consumers are deprived of a cheaper fuel. The association said those advising policy makers to increase CNG prices were anti-people and were affecting the purchasing power of 4 million CNG-fitted vehicle owners.
