It appears as if the gas crisis in the country will continue to haunt the people in 2012 since the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) led government is yet to conjure up a roadmap to end gas load shedding.
ROADMAP
Dr Asim, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources (P&NR) announced on Saturday that government will synthesize the roadmap within next six months to bridge the demand and supply gap. While addressing “Benazir Employees Stock Option” scheme of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) here at a local hotel, the minister said that the long term plan would curb the shortfall. The touted numbers of shortfall is 1.8 BCFD against the demand of six BCFD in next six months. He rejected the impression that current shortage was an artificial one.
UFG REDUCTION
Dr Asim instructed SSGC to reduce the unaccounted for gas (UFG) by at least two per cent within the next two months as the losses of the company in addition to the existing shortages, were also escalating. According to the minister, out of the existing capacity of 4.2 BCFD the CNG sector, power companies and captive power plants were being supplied 310 MMCFD, 647 MMCFD and 294 MMCFD respectively while at least 307 MMCFD were lost under UFG.
TWO OPTIONS
Talking about the closure of CNG station in view of gas shortages, he said, the compressed gas outlets would face closure even in February because there were only two options left; either to discontinue gas supply to domestic consumers or close the commercial use of the fuel.
PROPOSAL FORWARDED
In reply to a query, the minister said that his ministry has forwarded a proposal to the cabinet to remove General Sales Tax (GST) on the import of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to encourage import of the fuel which could help curtail the existing shortages. To another question, he said to control the incidents of blowing up of high pressure gas pipeline of SSGC in Balochistan the Sui Levee has been given the task.
FORECASTED NUMBERS
Addressing the event, Senator Faisal Raza Abidi announced that government would be leasing at least 850 goths in Sindh before the next election. Out of the total 1626 goths in the province were included 150 non-developed and 73 kachi abadi. Survey of over 800 Goths has been completed so far. The fresh move, he claimed, would benefit almost 15 million people in various parts of the province. He said the employees of SSGC, after receiving share certificates, have become owners of the company and they should speed up their efforts to improve the company’s output as it would indirectly affect them.