ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel on Tuesday expressed concern over gas loadshedding in many areas despite excess supplies.

The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum, presided over Senator Umar Farooq, was also told that Sindh was now the largest producer and consumer province in the country — producing about 1,609 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas and consuming about 1,115mmcfd.

During the meeting, Senator Kamil Ali Agha raised the issue of unannounced gas loadshedding in Lahore. He reported that consumers had been forced to use LPG cylinders due to gas load shedding, which had become a “persistent hardship for citizens”.

He noted that in recent years, the government’s policies seemed to have disproportionately favoured the industrial sector with subsidised gas but domestic users neither get the subsidy nor gas supply. He deplored that a major city like Lahore had gas supply issues and called for a policy shift that prioritised domestic users.

Lawmaker says govt prioritising industries over domestic users; Sindh becomes largest producer and consumer of the natural resource

Senator Farooq, the committee chairman, observed that gas supply situation in Balochistan was no better and expressed concern about the unavailability of gas in various areas.

The managing director of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, which supplies gas to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern areas, told the committee that approximately 1.2 million consumers in Lahore were being supplied gas.

From from July 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, the company received 132,376 complaints regarding low gas pressure, of which 131,459 had been resolved.

He promised to resolve the personal problems faced by Senator Agha on priority.

The committee decided to discuss the matter further in the next meeting.

Consumption

The committee was also briefed on the province-wise gas consumption and production.

The total gas consumption in Punjab was 976mmcfd against its production of 163mmcfd. The province consumed about 668mmcfd of imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

KP produced 346mmcfd and consumed 208mmcfd while Balochistan currently produced about 492mmcfd and consumed 334mmcfd.

The committee also reviewed the gas allocated to fertiliser plants. The committee chairman raised questions regarding various plants receiving gas and inquired about detailed information along with the rates in the next meeting.

The meeting also discussed the challenge of oil rigs faced by the Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) but members expressed displeasure over inadequate responses.

Senator Rana Mahmoodul Hassan pointed out that the performance sought by the committee had not yet been provided. He suggested the matter be audited by one of the top four audit firms.

In response, the Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) assured that any wrongdoing in procurement and deployment of rigs would be investigated thoroughly.

Senator Hassan also pointed out concerns raised by some representatives from Balochistan for not being paid for petroleum resources extracted from their land. He said the Balochistan Assembly had referred the matter to the federal government to determine whether it falls within its purview.

The senator emphasised if the payments were justified, these should be released to the concerned representatives without delay.

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2025