The gas shortage continued to hit the population of the Punjab province this winter like past and people living in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Islamabad faced numerous problems because of low pressure or interrupted gas supplies particularly during December and January.
The gas crisis in Pakistan is attributed to government's non-serious attitude and poor gas management and distribution policies. The government power and energy policies are not properly implemented at domestic as well as commercial level. The problems such as gas distribution losses, gas management, rising gap between the demand and supply resulted in this gas shortage in winter.
According to the survey conducted by Business Recorder in different localities of Lahore it was observed that the issues of load management and loadshedding of gas this winter was better managed by SNGPL to the extent that the major chunk of the households continued to receive gas during morning and evening cooking hours.
It was also observed that situation in the previous year was however bleaker wherein large number of localities remained out of gas and totally dry for a number of weeks which had led to tremendous public outcry while gas was not available even for cooking purposes.
The gas companies appear to have carried out somewhat more organised loadshedding schedule this winter and a vigorous energy conservation media campaign which may have helped this slight easing out of the situation. People while talking to Business Recorder showed their apprehensions on the media reports that that gas supplies will further decline next year and energy shortfall situation will further deteriorate. SNGPL therefore must take measure like early import of LNG and introduction of energy efficient devices to ensure uninterrupted supply of gas to the consumers during the winter season.
The people also appealed to the government to review its energy policies and take serious measures to address the gas shortage problems. Immediate gas reforms are needed not only in commercial sector but also in domestic sector to address the terrible gas shortage crisis in Pakistan.
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