power sector dropped to 23 percent and 28 percent respectively.”
The gas pipeline in SITE was mainly installed to provide gas to industries but the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) used it to benefit CNG stations.
“These CNG stations suck all the gas from the pipelines,” Bilwani noted.
He demanded that there should separate pipelines for supplying gas to industries in SITE.
“The SSGC has given permission to operate 34 CNG stations in SITE, violating the mandatory distance required under the law and resulting in low pressure of gas to industries and other consumers,” he said.
“These industries are not only responsible for a large amount of the government’s revenue, but also providing millions of jobs.”
Bilwani also regretted that there no was implementation on Article 158 of the constitution that read: “The priority of requirements of natural gas for the province in which the wellhead of natural gas is situated shall have precedence over other parts of Pakistan in meeting the requirements from the well-head, subject to the commitments and obligations as on the commencing day.”
He feared that if the SITE industries were not provided with gas, it could result in mass closures and flight of capital abroad. This, he added, would also leave thousands of workers jobless.
‘Effective steps’
The SSGC said in a press release that as a result of curtailed gas supply from Bhit and Naimat Basal gas fields, an overall shortfall of 40 mmcfd was recorded in its system.
Because of this shortage, the SSGC’s supply was affected and the utility received low pressure complaints from Karachi and the rural parts of the province.
The SSGC said it was making efforts to improve the supply. It added that gas supply to power generation companies including the K-Electric and Wapda had been curtailed to increase the pressure.
It has also been decided that CNG stations in the province would remain closed on Friday and open on Saturday.