Gas crisis intensifies in Karachi

KARACHI: The beginning of the winter season has brought unannounced and prolonged gas loadshedding in several areas of Karachi, piling miseries on the citizens, ARY News reported.

According to details, residents of different areas of Karachi were facing unannounced gas loadshedding or very low pressure in their stoves.

The gas supply to Landhi, North Karachi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, North Nazimabad was completed suspended for past day.

Other areas severely affected by gas load-shedding are Sir Syed Town, New Karachi, Nagan Chowrangi, Orangi Town, Railway Colony, Rashid Minhas Road, Federal B Area, Gadap and Kathore.

Residents said that gas was being supplied for a too little time with extremely low pressure making it difficult to cook food.

It may be noted that the demand for gas is more than 1,250 mmcfd while the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) was supplying less than 900mmcfd to the province.

Read More: Balochistan Assembly forms special committee over ‘low gas pressure’

Earlier in November, Provincial Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh said that injustices were being committed with Sindh in the distribution of gas and electricity and urged the federal government to resolve the issues.

According to details, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh has penned down a letter to Musadik Masood Malik – State Minister for Petroleum – and expressed concerned over the ‘injustice with Sindh’ in the distribution of gas and electricity and fulfillment of its demands.

“Despite the fact that the important matters arising out of the Constitutional provisions has been taken up from time to time with the Federal Government, but no action has so far been instigated,” he noted in the letter.

The provincial minister noted that there was an acute gas shortage in Sindh. “People of province are facing severe problems due to this gas load shedding, whie industries are facing closures, which is not only creating unemployment and is also a loss to National Economy,” he added.

“Sindh is producing 2.111 MMcf/day of gas whereas its own requirement is 1600-1700 MMcf/day,” he pointed out, adding that only 700-800 of gas was being provided to the province.

He demanded a fresh Gas allocation policy to be chalked out for the province, in consultation with the Sindh Government.  He also demanded that the federal government give Sindh representation in the federal energy regulatory bodies and in K-Electric’s board of directors.