CNG stations in Sindh, Balochistan closed till Saturday morning

The Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations in Sindh and Balochistan will be closed for three days, the Sui Southern Gas Company announced Wednesday.

According to the details, the stations will reopen at 8am on Saturday (January 2). SSGC has cited low gas pressure and an increase in demand as the reasons for suspension of gas supply to the CNG stations.

The gas shortage problem across Pakistan has the masses worried. CNG stations are being closed in Sindh and Balochistan, gas supply to stations is being suspended in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab and to make matters worse – the winters are getting harsher.

It was reported by sources that In KP, Quetta and Punjab people are saying they don’t have gas in their homes either. Low gas pressure at homes has left families freezing, hungry and worried.

Punjab dwellers are compelled to buy expensive LPG gas because of this shortage. Due to lack of gas, houses, flats, hospitals and mosques have become cold storages.

On Tuesday, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali wrote a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday voicing fears of an untoward situation developing in the province, especially in Karachi amid the ongoing gas crisis.

“Sindh produces about 2,500-2,600 MMCFD gas. The people of Sindh have a first right to this gas,” he said.

“It is an irony that SSGC [Sui Southern Gas Company] has reserved a quota of only 900-1000 MMCFD for people of Sindh whereas the constrained demand is over 1,500-1,600 MMCFD,” Shah lamented.

The CM dubbed this act of allocating natural gas to other sectors, when domestic and indigenous industry needs are not being met, ‘illegal’.

“I request you to please direct the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) to immediately revise the gas allocation formula and allocate at least 1,500-1,600 MMCFD system gas to consumers in Sindh with first priority to domestic consumers and then to industrial, commercial, power plants distributing electricity locally and other province based sectors,” urged the CM in his letter to the Centre.

Shah warned that if the current volatile situation is not handled with care then he fears there may be unrest and an even worse crisis in the future.