Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government has provided a total of 770710 gas connections to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers during its two and half years tenure. In a written reply to a question of MNA Sajida Megum, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the National Assembly on Monday that a total of 769,582 gas connections were provided to domestic consumers, 1,081 to commercial and 47 gas connections to industrial consumers.
He said that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has provided 587,431 connections to domestic consumers, 487 to commercial and 20 to industrial sector. He said that SSGCL has given a total of 182,151 gas connections to domestic consumers, 594 to commercial and 27 to industrial consumers. The Minister said that the government has imposed moratorium on new industrial and commercial gas connections since 2011. All above connections were given in accordance with the guidelines/ relaxations provided in the said moratorium ie Tandoor gas connections and connections where payments were made prior to moratorium, he said.
Answering to another question, the Minister said that a total of 2,196,617 domestic /industrial/commercial applications are pending for the provision of new gas connections in the country at present. He said that a total of 2,178,034 applications for domestic gas connections, 17,114 for commercial and 1,469 industrial are pending. Khaqan Abbasi said that a total of 40,598 applications for domestic/ commercial/industrial in Abbottabad, 102,043 in Bahawalpur, 237,494 in Faisalabad, 298,066 in Gujranwala, 107,141 in Gujrat, 121,512 in Islamabad, 352,793 in Lahore, 287,998 in Peshawar, 167,482 in Rawalpindi, 111,273 in Sheikhupura, 167,482 in Sahiwal, 1588 in Karachi and 311 in Balochistan, etc.
Answering to another question, the Minister informed the House that a total of 36,274 illegal gas connections were disconnected during 2014-15 in the country. He said that a total of 24,812 illegal gas connections were disconnected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while 10,258 illegal gas connections were disconnected in Punjab. Similarly, he said that a total of 1,166 illegal gas connections included 424 in Karachi and 742 in interior Sindh were disconnected and as many as 38 illegal gas connections were disconnected in Balochistan.