SSGC suspends gas supply to industries

• Decision has been taken considering low supply of gas.
• Due to low supply, volume of gas in pipelines has decreased.
• Gas supply will be restored from 8am tomorrow.

Owing to the widening gap between gas supply and demand, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Thursday announced its decision to suspend supplies to captive power plants and industries.

The gas utility said that the decision has been taken considering the low supply of gas. It stated that due to a reduction in supply, the volume of gas in pipelines has decreased.

The SSGC said that the gas supply would be restored to captive power plants and industries from 8am tomorrow (Friday).

Since last week, scores of residents have been protesting against the suspension of the gas supply.

The suspension of gas supply has made life difficult for people across the country, who are finding it difficult to cook, especially during sehr and iftar.

A day earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also assured the members of the National Assembly that his government would address the issue of gas loadshedding, especially during sehr and iftar, as inflation-weary people have been registering complaints.

The prime minister, responding to a point of order raised by MNA Syed Agha Rafiullah, told the house that he had already taken notice of the matter.

PM Shehbaz shared that he had summoned a meeting to discuss the issue of gas loadshedding.

“We will leave no stone unturned to address this issue,” the prime minister assured the house.

Last week, the SSGC said gas would be supplied to domestic consumers during the holy month of Ramadan, but for limited hours — a move that irked consumers who complained of not getting enough of this essential fuel during mealtimes.

The utility had said that the gas pressure would be low from 8am to 2:30pm as it was facing a shortfall of 250 million mmbtu.

According to the SSGC helpline, for iftar, gas will be supplied to consumers in Karachi from 2:30pm to 7pm, while for sehr it will be available from 2:30am to 5am.

The gas utility added that consumers would face complete suspension or low pressure during the rest of the hours.

However, the people have been complaining that gas remained suspended during sehr and iftar which forced them to purchase meals from hotels and restaurants which burdened their pockets.