Gas for Punjab units to be restored from 23rd

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussain  said the supply of gas for Punjab-based industrial units would be restored from January 23 (Monday).

Talking to reporters after holding a meeting with All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) here. Asim said that industries in Punjab would be divided into four zones and Sui Northern Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) would supply gas to industrial units for three days a week.

He said his ministry is working on a three-year gas supply plan, which would be announced in 10 days, adding that after implementation of the plan there would be no gas shortage for any sector.

The minister stated that Pakistan was facing acute shortage of gas at present, adding that currently 4.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas is available in the country against total demand of 6 bcfd.

The government is implementing gas load management plan in transparent manners, previous policies were formulated to benefit a selected group, which now caused serious energy crisis. He said the government would not allow any group to establish cartel in the business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and therefore, all-out efforts are being made to eliminate cartels so that people could use the cheap source of fuel.

The government following the violent protests by domestic gas users, transporters and CNG sector suspended gas supply to industries in Punjab during the last week of December.

Gohar Ijaz said due to prolonged gas suspension to the industrial sector over 4 million daily wage earners working in textile-related industries have become jobless, adding that gas suspension to industrial sector of the Punjab has resulted in closure of hundreds of industrial units.

Industrial sector has criticised the government for suspending gas supply to Punjab's industries, saying that the government on January 7 in a meeting with the representatives of the industries assured them that SNGPL would restore gas supply to the sector on January 11, but due to acute gas shortage and higher demand by domestic sector government was unable to restore gas supply to the industry.

And today after about one month, the government assured the textile sector that entire Punjab industries would get three days gas. The whole Punjab has been divided into four zones. The representatives of the industry and chamber of commerce argued that Punjab's industrial sector is without gas causing a loss of around Rs100 billion and putting at stake the jobs of 15 million people who are associated with the industry directly or indirectly.

They said now the business community was left with no option, but to evolve future strategy in consultation with all the stakeholders including chambers in Punjab. They said the continuous gas suspension has already marred industrial activity in the province, rendering thousands of industrial workers jobless and if the situation remains the same for time to come, the economy would suffer irreparable loss.