16 January 2005	Sunday	05 Zilhaj 1425

LAHORE, Jan 15: Domestic and commercial gas consumers from various localities of the city complained of low pressure on Saturday during peak hours.

"We are receiving 25 per cent less gas supplies due to the closure of the plant at Sui (in Balochistan) while the demand remains the same.

Hence, some domestic, commercial (CNG stations) and industrial consumers are experiencing low gas pressure during the lunch and dinner hours," a Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) official told Dawn.

He said the company had not shut gas supplies to any consumer. "It is just that we are transporting whatever quantity we are getting from the fields to them. We cannot do anything about it except maintaining its pressure as long as possible," he said.

He identified Cantonment, Sanda, Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Faisal Town as the worst-hit areas in the city where both domestic and commercial consumers had experienced low gas pressure during the day.

He said the CNG stations in these areas were also hit by low pressure during the peak hours, but the problem did not persist for very long. He said the situation could worsen if the gas supply from Sui did not resume on Monday.