Sindh, Balochistan provinces to face gas crisis from Dec 1 to Feb 15 next year

Amid the energy crisis, Pakistan's provinces including Sindh and Balochistan will face several shortages of gas, as one of the leading gas companies in Karachi has decided to suspend its supply to all the compressed natural gas (CNG) stations from December 1 to February 15 next year.

According to Dawn, the Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGCL) has decided to suspend gas supply across Sindh and Balochistan.

In a statement, the SSGCL said gas supply to all captive power plants (CPPS) of non-export industrial units was discontinued last Friday till further orders due to this winter spike. However, all general industries, zero-rated export industries including its CPPs and fertiliser sector will continue to get the gas, Dawn reported.

Meanwhile, the gas crisis in Karachi is taking a toll with 75 per cent of the areas being badly affected by load shedding during meal hours all day. Some areas are not getting gas for the past three days and hotels have increased the rates to cope with the increasing demands. Gas cylinders and refilling are also out of reach of people due to over-cost. (Ummat), according to The News International.

Pakistan is on the verge of a massive shortage of gas and rationing due to depleting local gas reserves and the failure of the Imran Khan government to procure a sufficient quantity of LNG.

On November 1, energy minister Hammad Azhar had informed that the government has arranged 11 LNG cargoes for the month of November, The News International reported.

LNG trading companies have backed out of an agreement made with PLL to provide two cargoes for November for mammoth monetary gains of up to 200 per cent profit in the international spot market, according to the publication.

Pakistan's cost of energy production has increased following an increase in fuel prices.

Almost two-thirds of the country's electricity generation is based on fossil fuels, as per The Tribune.The rise in crude oil prices have hit the highest in the last three years - USD 86 per barrel, the newspaper reported.

The energy crisis is worsening due to the rising cost of the LNG.

( With inputs from ANI )