Three days a week: Gas supply to industries restored, somewhat
Govt gives favoured decision after lobby threatened to defy orders and launch countrywide civil disobedience movement.
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government succumbed to pressure of the textile lobby on Friday and decided to provide gas for three days a week from next week after the industry threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement.
Dr Asim Hussain announced restoration of gas supply to the industry after holding negotiations with industry stakeholders, bringing some respite to the ailing sector. Textile exports fell 5% to $5.9 billion in the first half of fiscal 2012, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited had disconnected gas supply to all industries of Punjab completely in December-end.
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Punjab announced a day earlier that it would defy gas outage schedule from Monday among other measures to hammer out a decision in its favour.
While addressing a press conference after meeting the office bearers of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) on Friday, Hussain announced that 700 million cubic feet of gas (mmcf) additional gas would be injected into the system by June 2012 while a three-year plan to overcome the shortage would also be unveiled soon.
Aptma Former Chairman Gohar Ejaz alleged that the government had forced the industry to sign a nine-month gas supply agreements in 2008. During a joint press conference with Petroleum Minister, he said that 4 million workers had been unemployed whereas the industry had stopped paying salary to 10 million people due to the gas crisis.
Dr Asim Hussain said that the present unconstrained demand of natural gas stands at 6 billion cubic feet (bcf) while production is 4.2 bcf.
He said that Behawalpur region was on top of the list where Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was facing 35 per cent Unaccounted for Gas (UFG).
He emphasised that the present government has always adopted the policy of openness and provides objective presentation regarding the gas situation. The minister mentioned that that he is working to break the influence of cartels and always uphold decisions on merit basis. The gas load management programme is always prepared after thorough consultations with all the stakeholders, said Hussain.
The federal minister informed that measures are being taken on war-footing to bring down the percentage of unaccounted-for-gas (UFG) in the SNGPL and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) networks. He warned that strict action would be taken against pilferage as per the Gas Theft Act.
Hussain said that this is not the time to create confrontations and urged all stakeholders to cooperate in order to work out solutions to bring the energy crisis to an end.
He said that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources is mindful of its duties and is bringing in positive and investor friendly provisions in oil and gas sector policies.
He alleged that Nawaz Sharif led-government was also responsible for the current crisis by launching 4,000 to 5,000 development schemes. Policies were formed in the past to favour some power full people, he added.
Regarding negotiations underway with Qatar for supply of LNG, the minister said that Qatar’s term sheet will be received next week. The minister informed that he is proceeding to India for holding talks with the Indian government on Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India-Pipeline project.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2012.
The federal government succumbed to pressure of the textile lobby on Friday and decided to provide gas for three days a week from next week after the industry threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement.
Dr Asim Hussain announced restoration of gas supply to the industry after holding negotiations with industry stakeholders, bringing some respite to the ailing sector. Textile exports fell 5% to $5.9 billion in the first half of fiscal 2012, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited had disconnected gas supply to all industries of Punjab completely in December-end.
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Punjab announced a day earlier that it would defy gas outage schedule from Monday among other measures to hammer out a decision in its favour.
While addressing a press conference after meeting the office bearers of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) on Friday, Hussain announced that 700 million cubic feet of gas (mmcf) additional gas would be injected into the system by June 2012 while a three-year plan to overcome the shortage would also be unveiled soon.
Aptma Former Chairman Gohar Ejaz alleged that the government had forced the industry to sign a nine-month gas supply agreements in 2008. During a joint press conference with Petroleum Minister, he said that 4 million workers had been unemployed whereas the industry had stopped paying salary to 10 million people due to the gas crisis.
Dr Asim Hussain said that the present unconstrained demand of natural gas stands at 6 billion cubic feet (bcf) while production is 4.2 bcf.
He said that Behawalpur region was on top of the list where Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was facing 35 per cent Unaccounted for Gas (UFG).
He emphasised that the present government has always adopted the policy of openness and provides objective presentation regarding the gas situation. The minister mentioned that that he is working to break the influence of cartels and always uphold decisions on merit basis. The gas load management programme is always prepared after thorough consultations with all the stakeholders, said Hussain.
The federal minister informed that measures are being taken on war-footing to bring down the percentage of unaccounted-for-gas (UFG) in the SNGPL and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) networks. He warned that strict action would be taken against pilferage as per the Gas Theft Act.
Hussain said that this is not the time to create confrontations and urged all stakeholders to cooperate in order to work out solutions to bring the energy crisis to an end.
He said that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources is mindful of its duties and is bringing in positive and investor friendly provisions in oil and gas sector policies.
He alleged that Nawaz Sharif led-government was also responsible for the current crisis by launching 4,000 to 5,000 development schemes. Policies were formed in the past to favour some power full people, he added.
Regarding negotiations underway with Qatar for supply of LNG, the minister said that Qatar’s term sheet will be received next week. The minister informed that he is proceeding to India for holding talks with the Indian government on Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India-Pipeline project.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2012.