Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday took notice of the gas supply suspension complaints from domestic consumers in Karachi during Sehri and Iftar hours.
On the first day of Ramazan, Karachi’s residents faced severe hardships due to the absence of cooking gas, as the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) failed to deliver on its promise of ensuring an uninterrupted supply during critical meal times.
Last week, the SSGC announced a new schedule, reducing gas supply by two and a half hours as part of its Ramazan load-shedding plan, while assuring consumers of availability during Sehri and Iftar.
However, the reality contradicted these commitments, leading to public outrage.
According to a statement issued by SSGC today, the prime minister took immediate notice of the crisis.
In response, emergency meetings were convened at both ministerial and secretary levels with managing directors and senior officials soon after Iftar to address the complaints.
Following these discussions, the SSGC increased gas pressure by an average of 10 percent through sales meter stations to improve supply flow.
Additionally, a decision was made to open gas distribution centres for half an hour before Sehri and Iftar in areas with low network capacity to enhance pressure.
To further stabilize supply, SSGC arranged an additional 20 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of gas to strengthen the transmission line pack.
The company also established control rooms at its headquarters and regional offices to monitor gas supply and network status daily.
Moreover, SSGC pledged to address low gas pressure complaints on an emergency basis at the regional level and submit daily reports to senior management.
“These measures aim to address consumer complaints and ensure a reliable gas supply during Ramazan,” the SSGC statement read.
Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for Planning, Development, and Energy Syed Nasir Hussain Shah urged the prime minister to guarantee uninterrupted gas supply throughout Ramazan.
“It is now March; winter is no longer an issue,” he stated, emphasizing that immediate intervention should have been taken earlier to prevent load-shedding during Sehri and Iftar.
“In Ramazan, these organizations should be strictly bound to ensure uninterrupted gas supply so that people do not suffer,” he added in a video message.
