Pakistan PM orders uninterrupted gas supply amid complaints from domestic consumers

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chairs a meeting in Islamabad on December 27, 2024, on steps taken uninterrupted gas supply during winter. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

• Prime Minister Sharif orders reforms to the gas distribution system to resolve the issue permanently
• Officials claim improvement in gas load management, say power sector also getting sufficient supply

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for reforms to the gas distribution system after complaints from domestic consumers about shortages, as he was briefed in a meeting that surplus regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) was available in the system.
Pakistan has long struggled with gas shortages, particularly during the winter months, as declining domestic production and increasing reliance on imports widen the supply-demand gap.
“Uninterrupted gas supply to domestic consumers during the winter must be ensured immediately,” the prime minister directed during the meeting. “Reforms should be introduced in the system’s structure to resolve this issue permanently.”
He maintained that ensuring gas supply to domestic consumers was the government’s top priority.
Officials briefed Sharif that, compared to the previous year, there has been an improvement in gas load management, resulting in reduced load shedding durations, adding that domestic consumers were currently receiving gas from 5 AM to 10 PM.
“The power sector is also being provided gas according to its demand,” the briefing noted. “Additionally, all gas fields in the country remain operational.
The officials also said the Sui Norther Gas Pipelines Limited had resolved 93 percent of consumer complaints, while Sui Souther Gas Company Limited’s resolution rate stood at 79 percent.
Pakistan’s restive southwestern Balochistan province accounts for much of the country’s domestic gas production, though separatist violence in the region often leads to attacks on pipelines, disrupting supply.
Earlier this week, unidentified assailants near Quetta blew up a pipeline, cutting off supply to several areas in Balochistan.
Repairs commenced after the area was secured, but the incident caused significant inconvenience to residents of the province.