The gas company said that due to a spike in the usage of the utility amid harsh winters the demand increases up to three-fold, resulting in the shortage.
"Hence, gas will only be provided during cooking hours in winter to domestic consumers, who have been assigned top priority in merit order, said a spokesperson for the SNGP quoted by The News. The gas company asked the consumers to 'use gas wisely' and rely on electric heaters and instant geysers instead of the traditional ones.
The report said the supply in certain areas may be completely shut down for a few hours to avoid the collapse of the gas distribution system.
SNGPL said the industrial sector will suffer due to the increasing gas demand. The SNGPL is not bound to provide gas to the industry during winter months, as the supply agreements have been for nine months only.
"There is no assurance of non-stop and normal gas supplies to even high-priced bulk domestic consumers of regasified LNG and industry," said the official quoted by The News.
Gas theft
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Division Nadeem Babar has admitted that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is on top of the gas theft list, and hence the major cause of increase in technical and commercial line losses of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).
Talking about the Hangu and Karak sections of the pipeline, Babar said, “These are gas-producing areas and the people living there are stealing gas since they consider this their right.”
He was responding to a question about why the PTI-led provincial government had not helped the federal government and the SNGPL in the past in stopping massive gas theft.
“However, we are trying to convince these people not to steal gas and come under the legal gas supply network of the company,” Babar had said.