Gas supply to domestic consumers being ensured: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

Abbasi further said that gas prices for domestic consumers would not be raised.

ISLAMABAD: Even as domestic consumers complained about the dwindling supply of gas, Petroleum and Natural Resources Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi reiterated on Monday that the government was taking steps to ensure gas supply to domestic consumers.

"It is the policy of government to take care of the domestic consumers of gas, " he said while talking to Pakistan Television.

Measures had been taken to control gas theft, he added.

The minister said gas demand was rising every day in the country and there was a dire need to increase its supply, however, prices for domestic consumers will not be raised.

Replying to a question, he said the plan of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) would be completed by the end of next year.

To boost gas supply, the minister said the government was making policies to attract foreigners to invest in exploration of natural resources.

Many parts of Pakistan face immense gas shortages, especially in the winter. Pakistan has been trying to get a pipeline with Iran on track to help shore up gas supplies which are already afflicting the CNG, power and other industries in the country.

Earlier in December, orders were issued to indefinitely suspend gas supply to all CNG stations, industrial sector and the electricity generation plants.

While the decision to supply gas to the industrial sector was reversed, a local court on December 21 ordered restoration of gas supply to filling stations in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and the Potohar region.

MD Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL), Arif Hameed, told Daily Express that the company was facing a short fall of 1100 million cubic feet which is expected to rise to 1425 million cubic feet shortly.