ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Monday directed the Petroleum Ministry to ensure that the industrial sector in Punjab received uninterrupted supply of gas five days a week, adding that an equitable distribution of gas across the country and a strict implementation on Economic Coordination Committee’s decisions must be ensured.
Chairing a special high-level meeting at the PM House to review the gas supply situation, particularly, to the industrial sector in Punjab, Gilani called for ensuring a judicious supply across the board, saying the shortage of gas should be shared by all stakeholders equally.
The prime minister said the decisions taken in the ECC’s last meeting should be implemented in letter and spirit.
He directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to expedite the implementation of the decision on the import of Liquified Natural Gas with the help of other ministries concerned.
Gilani also asked for convening the third review meeting of the Energy Summit at the earliest, in consultation with all stakeholders.
Gilani said effective policies should be adopted to ensure the use of certified appliances having an efficiency of 50 percent.
On the occasion, CM Shahbaz Sharif thanked the PM for his personal interest and attention towards resolving the gas supply issue. Earlier, the minister for petroleum and natural resources briefed the meeting on the gas supply situation across the country, highlighting the increasing demand of gas in winter.
He said one of the reasons of the shortage was a substantial increase in domestic connections during the year, saying there were certain hurdles in the implementation of the decisions taken earlier due to increased demand. The minister said additional gas supply was expected from some of the gas fields by January.
Representatives of APTMA, the fertilizer industry, LNG importers and CNG distributors also explained the difficulties being faced by their respective sides due to the gas shortage.
