It has already been a topsy turvy year, and the pre-existing conditions make it worse. For almost a decade now, winter chills bring fear of gas crisis. The country’s gas supply falls short of the demand, creating a brutal winter season for many. This year, it seems no different -only that the implications would be harsher as the country is reeling from the economic damages caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

That the country will face severe shortage this year has already been discussed in this space. With depleting gas reserves, declining indigenous gas production, and insufficient capacity to import RNLG along with the external account burden as extra baggage, and gas distribution and transmission losses and infrastructure issues; gas supply shortage stands close to two bcfd.(for more read: “Gas shortage just around the corner”).

Winters comes and goes every year and so does the vigor to address gas sector issues. Ironically, gas sector reforms have only come to highlight close to winter and leave policy table as soon as spring is here. As of now, the government officials are claiming to undertake key measures to address gas shortage in the country such as embarking on a study on the methodology of underground gas storage; or moving ahead with North-South gas pipeline after finally getting the right-of-way approved from Sindh government; or working on the petroleum policy and auctioning new blocks to incentivize indigenous gas exploration and production. However, all these measures even if taken in letter and spirit are long term solutions to a very immediate and demanding problem.

What is needed immediately is consensus and rationalization. Though Sindh government has approved the right-of-way for North-South Gas Pipeline; the provinces are still at loggerheads with each other over pricing mechanism. Also, RNLG existing terminals need to be used at full capacity (failing which is another failure of the authorities up till now to make that happen). The crisis could have been appeased to some extent if along with ringing alarm bells starting mid-year; the government also worked on educating and working on providing alternate sources of heating for the domestic consumers such as solar geysers and solar heaters