KARACHI: The compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Karachi and other parts of the province opened on Saturday night after remaining shut for almost six days following the closure of gas supply to the sector by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC).
At the start of this week, the gas utility had suspended supply of gas to the CNG sector and captive power plants after a crippling gas shortage hit its system.
The utility had said that it was not getting the required pressure and amount of gas for distribution.
Following the stoppage of gas supply, people of Karachi and other parts of the province suffered a serious transport crisis as the majority of public transport vehicles stayed off the roads.
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Earlier in the day, Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan while addressing a press conference had said that gas supply in the province would be restored soon.
Flanked by Sindh Governor Imran Islami, Sarwar said that by 8:00 pm in the night gas supply to CNG stations will be restored.
Sarwar said that supply of gas to Karachi’s CNG sector will resume tonight at 8pm. From Sunday onwards, the industries across Sindh will receive 50 per cent supply, moreover, maximum possible relief will be provided to the CNG sector in the coming days.
The minister said the current gas crisis was triggered by some fault, insisting that it was not created.
The gas crisis also pit the provincial government of Sindh against federal government. The PPP led Sindh government had strongly reacted to the suspension of gas supply to CNG and industrial sectors.
The provincial ministers had addressed protest demonstration against the gas supply discontinuation. They had termed the SSGC’s move a violation of the Constitution.
“The SSGC move is against Article 158-B of the Constitution,” said Sindh Transport Minister Syed Owais Qadir Shah in a statement. “The federal government has no right to suspend supply to CNG stations in Sindh which produced the largest quantity of gas.”
Sindh Minister for Energy Imtiaz Shaikh had said the federal government’s decision to stop gas supply to the captive power plants in the province was bound to cause unemployment and stir an industrial crisis.
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