Kitchens in Karachi get cold as SSGC favors fertilizer plants in winter

KARACHI: Millions of kitchens in Karachi have gone cold as utilities divert gas meant for domestic consumers to fuel factories in blatant disregard for the plight of people, unable to cook food or keep their homes warm as winter sets in at worst.

According Geo News, a decrease in natural gas supply is observed in the last days of the week. In some areas, natural gas is not available before 11 p.m. set by the government, while some do not even have gas pressure in the afternoon.

Due to increase in consumption in Balochistan due to cold weather, the extent of gas shortage in different areas of Karachi has increased. Gas supply has been affected in various parts of Saddar, Defence, Shah Faisal, Landhi, Gulshan and Scheme 33.

According to sources, natural gas supply has been affected this year because supply to fertilizer plants was not interrupted this year. They added that natural gas supply improves at the beginning of the week due to the closure of supply to factories on Saturday and Sunday.

In October last year, caretaker energy minister Muhammad Ali warned citizens that natural gas would only be available for eight hours in winter amid depleting natural gas reserves in the country.

“[Gas] loading has occurred in recent years. The loading will be done this year as well because we don’t have enough natural gas to supply it for 24 hours,” the caretaker minister said during a press conference.

The minister had then expressed hope that the issue of gas shortage for industry in December would be resolved to a greater extent as the government finalized two liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes.