Domestic consumers have been facing difficulty in cooking food and warming their homes during the icy winter which has broken all past records.
Citizens have had to deal with low gas pressure during the cold wave and have resorted to other forms of fuel for cooking and heating purposes.
“Gas pressure is almost zero in the morning and evening, we have to go to hotels and ‘tandoors’ (bread baking ovens) to get cooked food which is quite expensive,” said Shabana, a housewife. She said government officials had repeatedly said that a smooth supply of gas would be available to domestic residents, but have done nothing to solve the problem.
According to a survey, residents of sectors G-6, G-7, F-6/1, G-9, I-10, I-9 and F-7 face low or zero gas pressure.
Areas in Rawalpindi, including Committee Chowk, Al-Mumtaz Colony, Adiala Road, Gulshanabad, Tahli Morri, Dehri Hassanabad, Saddar and Babar Colony have been facing the same problem. Munir Ahmed, a citizen, said the closure of Compressed Natural Gas stations had not eased the situation. The use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, as alternative energy source, had placed extra burden on his pocket, he added. Asima, a housewife, said she was unable to cook breakfast for her family and they had to go to work and school without food.
When contacted, a Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited official admitted that certain localities had low gas pressure. He said the company was trying its best to ensure smooth gas supply to consumers.
