After 45 days of suspension, Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) announced that it will resume gas supply to CNG stations that are operating only on RLNG from February 14 (Monday).

“Gas supply to those CNG stations that are operating only on RLNG will resume their operations from 8am, Monday February 14, 2022,” said SSGC in a statement posted on its Twitter account.

It may be mentioned that the SSGC suspended the gas supply to CNG sector from December 1, 2021 to February 15, 2022 as per the Gas Load Management Plan.

Back in November last year, SSGC, in adherence to the government’s approved gas load management plan that places domestic and commercial customers on top of the gas sectoral priority list; decided to suspend gas supply to all CNG stations across Sindh and Balochistan from December 1, 2021 till February 15, 2022.

SSGC said then that the decision to suspend gas supply has been taken in order to make gas available to the domestic and commercial sectors during the current winter season that has seen a major additional demand, especially in Balochistan.

The gas shortage became the latest headache this winter, as consumers – both domestic and industrial – rushed for alternatives amid government's statements that Pakistan’s gas reserves are depleting on a yearly basis.

Days ago, hundreds of demonstrators including the leadership of Businessmen Group and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) along with Presidents/ representatives of all Industrial Town Associations and sector-specific trade associations gathered outside the Head Office of SSGC where they demanded immediate restoration of gas supply to all the industrial zones; otherwise, their protest would continue and may intensify further with each passing day until gas supply to all the industrial units is fully restored and normalized.

Accompanied by prominent business figures, Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani and President KCCI Muhammad Idrees expressed deep concerns over government’s attitude towards resolving the most pressing issue being faced by the business and industrial community of Karachi.

They said losses of up to Rs45 billion were being suffered each day due to unavailability of gas in Karachi.