24/7 Gas Supply To Masses Not Possible, Pakistan Minister Says Amid Crisis

The gas bill of the rich and poor has been separated; rich people will have to pay more now,” the minister said.

Gas demand increased during Ramzan, especially during sehri and iftar timings, when people need gas to cook the most. ( Image Source :Representational Image/Getty )

Pakistan’s Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik, on Wednesday, said that the country cannot provide gas supply to the masses 24x7, due to the drop in the commodity’s reserves, according to The New International.

The country is highly dependent on natural gas for energy, and with rising demand and insufficient supply, load-shedding has become a daily occurrence in several areas of the country.

This situation worsened during Ramzan, especially during sehri and iftar timings, when people need gas to cook the most.

Speaking at a press conference, Malik said that the gas load-shedding would end during sehri and iftar.

“We cannot provide gas 24 hours as our reserves have dropped,” he was quoted by The New International.

Malik, while talking to journalists, said his visit to Karachi was based on resolving the gas supply issue that the people are facing and urged them to ensure payment of their utility bills.

“The gas bill of the rich and poor has been separated; rich people will have to pay more now,” the minister said.

Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed officials to ensure an uninterrupted supply of gas, saying that the process will be supervised and no negligence will be tolerated

Due to the widening gap between gas supply and demand, Pakistan’s Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) last week, announced suspension of supplies to power plants and industries.

The volume of gas in pipelines had decreased due to a reduction in supply, gas utility said, prompting a response from the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) which stated that industries will have to halt production as they cannot function without gas.

KCCI president Muhammad Tariq Yousuf said, “It’s highly unfair to have such an attitude towards Karachi’s business community which, despite facing so many odds and challenges, contributes around 54 percent in terms of exports and more than 68 percent in terms of revenue.”