ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed relevant authorities to ensure a steady gas supply to domestic users during the winter season without delay.
Many consumers have been facing a shortage of gas supply across different parts of the country in cold weather, Radio Pakistan reported.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, last week, voiced concern regarding gas load-shedding in the province saying it had reached an alarming level and people faced severe hardships due to the gas shortage, which was adversely impacting daily life and industrial activities.
Daily Dawn reported the acute shortage of gas and its skyrocketing tariffs have forced thousands of commercial users to get their gas supplies disconnected this year.
The prime minister chairing a review meeting in Islamabad on the countrywide gas supply situation, instructed reforms in the supply system to resolve the issue permanently.
PM Shehbaz stressed that providing gas to domestic consumers remained the government’s top priority.
He was briefed that surplus Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) was available in the system, helping to improve gas load management compared to last year.
The meeting was told that the duration of gas load-shedding was shorter this year, with “domestic consumers being provided gas from 5am to 10pm daily”, Radio Pakistan reported.
It said the meeting was informed that gas was being supplied to the power sector “as per demand”.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) have online dashboards in operation to address user complaints. It further stated that all gas fields in the country were fully operational.
Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal, and senior government officials attended the meeting.
