City's gas woes reachboiling point

Gulf conflict leaves residents struggling during Ramazan

KARACHI:

A worsening gas shortage gripped Karachi for a second consecutive day, leaving thousands of households without gas for cooking during the holy month of Ramazan, as disruptions in LNG imports and rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz ripple through Pakistan's energy supply chain.

Gas outages intensified across several parts of the metro on Thursday, with residents reporting prolonged load-shedding that has made daily cooking, particularly for Sehri and Iftar, increasingly difficult.

According to sources, escalating tensions between the United States and Iran have begun to affect energy supply routes in the Gulf region. At the same time, disruptions in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from Qatar are also being felt in Pakistan, significantly impacting gas availability in Karachi.

Complaints of hours-long gas outages have surfaced from multiple neighbourhoods. Areas including Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Scheme 33, Jamshed Road and Shadman Town continued to face gas load-shedding for the second straight day. Residents in Nishtar Road, Martin Quarters, Jahangir Road, Amil Colony, Lasbela and several parts of Korangi also reported prolonged supply cuts.

Citizens say the situation has become particularly difficult during Ramazan, when families rely on gas supply during specific hours to prepare meals for fasting. Many residents complained that gas pressure remains extremely low during Sehri, while supply is often suspended again before Iftar, forcing households to seek alternative cooking arrangements.

The government had earlier announced uninterrupted gas supply from Sehri until 10pm throughout the holy month. However, residents claim that despite the announcement, gas remains unavailable for much of the day in many localities, severely disrupting routine household activities.

Meanwhile, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has indicated that the supply schedule may be revised due to the disruption in LNG imports. The company said efforts are being made to ensure continuous gas supply to domestic consumers during Sehri and Iftar hours.

Officials are considering a revised schedule under which gas may be supplied from 3am to 9am for Sehri and from 3pm to 9pm during Iftar hours. A final announcement regarding the revised timings is expected in the coming days.

Energy experts warn that if the situation in the Gulf region persists and LNG imports continue to face disruption, gas shortages could worsen not only in Karachi but also in other cities across Pakistan.