LAHORE, Nov 19: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited suddenly suspended gas supply to 70 industrial units in Sheikhupura and Faisalabad on Wednesday.

The suspension of gas supply came as a rude shock to the managements of affected industrial units, mostly textile mills, as they were expecting cut in gas supply in December. The SNGPL authorities, however, justified early suspension of gas supply on the pretext of increase in domestic demand.

The managements of these units protested against gas suspension as they had not been allowed time to make arrangements to cope with this situation. They said it would force them to layoff thousands of workers on the one hand and suffer financial losses on account of suspension of production.