SSGC announces gas load-shedding schedule during Ramadan

KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) announced the gas load-shedding schedule during Ramadan.

According to the schedule, gas supply will remain suspended from 9 am to 3 pm and 10 pm to 3 am during the Holy month.

The SSGC will ensure a continued supply of gas during Sehr-o-Iftar times, the SSGC said. Pakistan’s gas reserves are declining 8 to 10 per cent every year, the company said in its statement.

In an alarming announcement, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said that Pakistan’s gas reserves are likely to be reduced by half by 2027.

The SSGC further said it is working on biogas, nitrogen production and production of gas from the coal to meet the needs of the country’s gas.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SPARCO) has predicted the sighting of the Ramadan moon for the year 2025, ARY News reported on Monday.

According to a SPARCO spokesperson, the new moon will occur on February 28, 2025, at 5:45 PM Pakistan Standard Time.

However, SPARCO has indicated that the visibility of the crescent moon will be challenging in Pakistan on February 28th.

At sunset that day, the moon’s age will be only 12 hours, and its altitude will be a low 5 degrees. The distance between the moon and the sun will be 7 degrees, making it difficult for the crescent to be seen with the naked eye.

“Due to the moon’s low altitude and distance on February 28th, it will be difficult to see the crescent,” the spokesperson stated. “The crescent will not be visible to the human eye.”

Based on these calculations, SPARCO predicts that Ramadan is likely to begin in Pakistan on March 2, 2025. In parallel, the crescent moon may be visible in Saudi Arabia on February 28th, possibly indicating the start of Ramadan there on March 1st 2025.