Gas shortfall would exceed from 1.6 billion cubic feet (BCF) during next three years and Iran Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project would not help to eradicate this menace.
Managing Director of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline limited (SNGPL) Arif Hameed stated this during the meeting of senate standing committee on petroleum and Natural resources that held under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Yousaf here on Thursday.
MD SNGPL said that for the current month of Oct our demand is 1570 mmcfd while shortfall is 566 mmcfd while this shortfall would be reached to 1bcf during January next year and winter would be once again tough.
He said that SNGPL has given connections to 0.16 million consumers while 1.1million applications are pending before us for new connections. He said that exploration work is under progress for new reserves in the country and 240 mmcfd gas would be added into the national system during next two and half years.
Additional secretary Abid Saeed apprised the committee that till 2013 our local production would be increased from 750 mmcfd and 1325 mmcfd would be imported from Turkmenistan thorough TAPI pipeline project. He said that till 2015, 400 mmcfd LNG gas would be imported and 2 bcfd gas would be imported though pipeline. MD SNGPL said that domestic sector used 3mcfd gas.
During the meeting, Senators resented the expected plan to roll out the CNG sector from the country and said that people have invested billion of rupees in this sector therefore government should not roll out but to mange the existing system. Senator Nabi Bakhsh said that why government allowed thousand of CNG stations to operate when there was already shortage of gas in the country and now after ten years when people have invested in this sector now government is considering to roll out this sector which is unfair with investors.
Senator Usman Saifullah said that government is providing gas to inefficient plants which are wasting the gas and are not well productive.
He said that government should devise mechanism to enhance the efficiency of plants and industrial units and initiate a comprehensive program to increase the efficiency of home appliances.
Senator Hamza said that ex-prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani has also contributed in increasing gas shortfall as he issued directives to provide gas to large no of villages for just political gains and gas provided to those areas where alternative fuel like cottons sticks and other things were available. `
Earlier, Senator rozi khan Kakar walkout from the meeting over regular absence of Advisor to Prime Minister for Petroleum and natural resources Dr Asim and secretary Petroleum Dr Waqar Masood.
Committee proposed to raise this issue of absence of Dr Asim in the house because through his attitude it seems that he has not respect for the parliament and parliamentarians.
