SNGPL restores gas to Punjab industry

HASSAN ABBAS

LAHORE: General Manager Sui Northern Gas Pipe Lines Limited (SNGPL) Rehan Nawaz said that gas had been restored to the Punjab industry for three days a week as weather conditions had improved.

Talking to Business Recorder, Nawaz said the industry was getting gas from March 1st. The gas shortfall decreased due to improvement in weather conditions. At present, they were facing a shortfall of 500 mmcfd, he added.

He said that supply to industry would further improve in the near future. Gas has been restored to the fertilizer plants of Engro and Pak Arab adding that in two or three days they would start working.

Nawaz said that they were suspending gas to only those CNG stations, which had agreements with them for nine months on wherever available basis adding that all other CNG pumps would observe gas curtailment according to the gas load management plan.

He said that the reason behind the closure of gas to these CNG stations only to provide gas to the industry and fertilizer sector because both the sectors were the backbone of our economy. He said that thousands of workers were jobless due to the closure of gas to the industry and due to the closure of gas to the fertilizer sector our agriculture sector was suffering.

According to the spokesperson of All Pakistan CNG Association, APCNGA had called CEC meeting on Monday in Islamabad to make future strategy and they had sent a letter to petroleum minister regarding this issue and increase of CESS on CNG prices.