LAHORE: A large number of angry citizens broke into Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company (SNGPL) office and chanted slogans against the management over “worst gas crisis.”
The protesting citizens broke main gate of the SNGPL office on Guru Mangat Road and gave vent to their anger against the company’s failure to ensure gas supply to the domestic consumers, especially in the prevailing cold snap.
The protestors regretted that they were receiving bills from the SNGPL but not the gas, adding that they were compelled to arrange for alternative source of gas at higher rates for cooking.
Later, the GM of the company negotiated with the protestors and assured to improve supply to domestic consumers, particularly at cooking times.
Following the assurance, the protestors dispersed peacefully.
Earlier this week, the SNGPL ad added fixed charges to the November bills after approval from the caretaker government.
According to officials, protected consumers using 0.9 hectometer gas will pay Rs400 as fixed monthly charges, while non-protected users consuming up to 1.5 hecta meters will be charged an additional Rs1,000 in their bills.
Officials say consumers whose usage of gas is ZERO will also pay Rs400/monthly fixed charges.
‘End to ga loadshedding in Karachi’
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has urged the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to end gas shortage and prolonged load-shedding in the port city.
A MQM-P delegation. Comprising Rabita Committee member Mangla Sharma and Zahid Mansoori called on SSGC DMD Operations Saeed Rizvi and expressed serious concerns over the ongoing gas crisis in Karachi.
The MQM-P leaders maintained that domestic consumers are facing hardships due to the acute gas shortage. They asked the SSGC officer to take every possible step to resolve the gas crisis.
On the occasion, the DMD Operations of SSGC informed that Karachi is facing a 480 million cubic meters gas shortage. He said that the city is getting only 720 million cubic meters of gas against its requirement of 1200 million cubic meters.
“SSGC is trying to improve the situation,” he added.
