Gas shortage: Court direction to government sought

The petitioner said that the industry was facing a severe gas shortage.

LAHORE:

A constitutional petition was lodged in the Lahore High Court on Saturday against the alleged indifference of the provincial administration in dealing with gas shortage. Justice Umar Ata Bandial fixed the hearing on Monday.

The petitioner, Advocate Noshab A Khan, submitted that gas shortage was showing no sign of improvement. He said that most CNG stations in the city had sold their quota and suspended operation on Saturday.

The petitioner said that the industry, too, was facing a severe gas shortage.

He said the province was being treated unfairly, adding that the supply of gas was not commensurate with the demand. He pointed out that Punjab was getting 180 MMCF (million million cubic feet) gas against a requirement of 600 MMCF. He said supply from Sui Northern Gas Pipelines grid had been stopped.

He said gas supply to industries had been stopped for suspended for 10 days. This, he said, was affecting more than 15 million people employed in these industries. He requested the court to direct the authorities concerned to take appropriate measures to overcome the shortage of gas in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2010.