KARACHI: Gas supply to several areas of the metropolis was suspended during lunch hours on Saturday after a high-pressure pipeline was damaged during excavation work for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line on University Road, adding to the miseries of residents in the affected areas.

The disruption affected Gulshan-i-Iqbal, areas around Mazar-i-Quaid, parts of Garden, Saddar, Burns Road and several other localities.

A spokesperson for the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said that the high-pressure pipeline near the Gulshan-i-Iqbal telephone exchange on University Road was damaged at around 1pm during BRT construction activity.

She said teams immediately reached the site and started repair work, which was completed by 5pm. “After completion of the work, gas supply was restored,” she said.

Residents in the affected areas said the sudden suspension caused considerable inconvenience, particularly during cooking hours.

Several households reported disruption in preparing afternoon meals, while commercial eateries and roadside hotels in Saddar and Garden saw a rush of customers as many people had no option but to dine out or take food home for their families.

Domestic consumers complained that low pressure persisted even after the announced restoration time.

Many families said they had to arrange food from nearby restaurants. “We had guests at home and the gas suddenly disappeared. We had to order biryani from a nearby hotel, which cost us extra besides causing embarrassment,” said Rozina Adnan, a resident of Saddar.

Another resident from Garden said his wife could not cook and they had to bring food from a restaurant for the children.

Published in Dawn, October 18th, 2026