Export sector to get stable gas supply during winter: Hammad Azhar

• Amid constant complaints from industrialists regarding inadequate gas supply during winter, Azhar holds a meeting with exporters.
• “They have been assured of stable gas supply during winters and in return, inefficient gas captive plants will shift to power now,” he says.
• Earlier, CCOE decided that the gas supply to the CNG sector will be curtailed during the winter months.

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar on Friday assured the export sector of stable gas supply during winters.

Amid constant complaints from industrialists regarding the impact of inadequate gas supply during winter, the minister held a meeting with exporters.

In a post on Twitter, Azhar said a successful meeting was held with export sectors of all provinces.

“They [exporters] have been assured of stable gas supply during winter and in return, inefficient gas captive plants will shift to power now,” he wrote.

Earlier, the minister had informed Parliament that the supply of gas will be ensured for domestic consumers during breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours amid the expected gas shortfall in the country during the winter season.

Meanwhile, the government has decided that the gas supply to the CNG sector will be curtailed during the winter months.

This decision was made by the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) during a meeting on Thursday which was chaired by the Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar.

The CCoE decided to develop a prudent pressure management plan to ensure a stable supply of gas to the consumers. It is expected that industrial activity will be a focus in the gas management plans, especially the export industry.

Industrialists decry non-provision of gas

On Thursday, industrialists expressed serious concerns over the non-provision of gas to export and general industries of SITE area in Karachi and had demanded the government issue immediate directives for the provision of gas to all industries to save them from disaster.

They further requested the government to reduce and rationalise the electricity tariff in order to continue industrial production without interruption and to avert the cancellation of export orders by meeting export shipment dates.

During a press conference held by SITE Association, industrialists said that SITE industries are not getting gas as per requirement for many months.

They said that industries often face the problem of gas pressure which normally remains between 1.0 to 1.5 pounds which is equivalent to no gas and industries cannot be run on such low gas pressure