Consumers’ stoves running cold without gas

Many say it has become impossible to even cook a meal

LAHORE: Under an agreement, gas consumers are on a high priority list, but many are suffering through shortages or lack of pressure; particularly in crowded neighbourhoods of the provincial capital.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, gas consumers from different areas of the metropolis complained that gas pressure in their areas was very low, especially during morning and evening hours. A resident of Green Town, Naheed Bibi, said it was difficult to cook in winter due to the limited gas pressure. “Most people in our area are using firewood or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking or are buying roti from tandoors to keep the cost of alternate fuel low,” she said. The local stated that all LPG companies were also exploiting the situation by jacking up prices of their product.

The proprietor of a tandoor shop, Muhammad Nadeem, pointed out that commercial consumers, like restaurants, food shops and hotels, also faced tremendous great hardships due to low or no gas pressure.



Most tandoor shops are using firewood or LPG to keep their businesses alive; otherwise the high prices of alternate fuels had wiped out their profits, he claimed.

Similar complaints were made by several others who were facing hardships owing to the lack of natural gas in their area. An Allama Iqbal Town resident, Sheikh Saleem, said inhabitants of his locality have registered various complaints with Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), but the issue still persisted. He said officials were not paying any attention to consumer complains.

He alleged that the SNGPL officials were diverting domestic consumers’ gas quota to commercial and industrial consumers to earn more profit, along with under-the-table payments. Sui gas, he added, was a basic necessity in urban areas and the gas utility company was bound to supply it to domestic consumers throughout the year, as per an agreement.

Citizens like Hanif, from other parts of the city, highlighted that consumers were protesting against the utility company and the government. He added neither SNGPL nor the government had bothered to take action.

An SNGPL official said there may be low gas pressure in some areas, but the general situation was far from alarming. He said domestic consumers were on priority with regards to gas supply and the company was trying to pressure at the normal level in most areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2017.