ISLAMABAD: Gas shortfall in Karachi is the result of the provincial government’s rigidity as ruling party in Sindh has yet to give right of way to the proposed gas pipeline, Federal Minister for Power, Petroleum and Natural Resources Omar Ayub said on Tuesday.

In a tweet, the minister said the shortfall of gas in industries and households in Sindh were due to the provincial government.

The PTI minister said that he had been after the provincial authorities for past one and half year for the new gas pipeline, but the Sindh government had not budged.

He was referring to the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)’s proposed gas pipeline, which awaits approval by the Sindh Government.

“We are already giving 100 mmcfd RLNG to KE & need the new line for additional supply,” he said in the tweet.

Earlier, K-Electric Limited warned of worse electricity load-shedding citing the short supply of gas to its power plants.

Ayub said in the same tweet that his ministry was already “giving 100 MMCFD RLNG to KE,” however the minister for power said that new pipeline was indispensable for meeting the demand.

The gas company SSGC, also stated that the province will face severe gas shortage crisis during the upcoming winter season.

Karachi and other parts of the Sindh could possibly face a shortfall of 300mmcfd in winter, the gas utility spokesman said in a statement.

While denying the existing gas load-shedding, which has been protested against by industrialists and residents alike, the SSGC claimed that it was getting lesser gas from fields.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020