Gas outage frustrates fasting Karachiites on first day of Ramadan

KARACHI: Fasting people of the city faced severe gas shortages on the first day of Ramadan despite the Sui Southern Gas Company’s (SSGC) assurances of an uninterrupted supply.

Ahead of the beginning of the holy month, the gas utility had in a public announcement assured people of uninterrupted gas supply for Sehri and Iftar preparation.

As per the schedule, the gas would be available between 3am to 9am for Sehri (pre-dawn meal) and 3:30pm to 10pm for Iftaar meal during Ramadan.

“SSGC wishes a blessed Ramazan to its esteemed customers and would like to assure them of uninterrupted gas supply for Sehri and Iftaar preparations,” the SSGC had said.

However, most parts of the city remained without gas during Sehri and Iftar timings, piling miseries on the citizens.

Several parts of the metropolis including Liaquatabad B Area, Liaquatabad No 4, Federal Capital Area, North Nazimabad, North Karachi, PIB Colony, Kemari, and various blocks of Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Jouhar complained of low pressure and or gas suspension.

Meanwhile, an SSGC spokesperson has refuted such claims saying that the company had not resorted to loadshedding anywhere in the region.

He claimed that the gas was being supplied in 95% of the areas, while complaints were reported only in 5% of the areas.