ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) will provide Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to the domestic consumers of far-flung areas of Punjab and NWFP, said SNGPL Managing Director Abdur Rasheed.

Under a new project, CNG would be provided to domestic users in areas where gas supply infrastructure did not exist or the area was far away from the gas transmission system, he said while speaking in a PTV programme.

Elaborating, he said, CNG would be transported to far-flung areas through tankers where it would be stored in specially-made storage tanks. From there, it would be supplied to consumers through pipelines.

To a question, he said President Pervez Musharraf had directed that foreign companies must be invited for further exploration and gas production.

The SNGPL director said under the annual development programme, company provided gas to 10 to 15 new towns and villages every year.

Over 3.5 million people all over the country were benefiting from gas facility, out of which nearly 2.1 million were being provided gas by the SNGPL in Punjab and NWFP which made 70 per cent of the country’s total consumption.

He said that over 40,000 commercial and 2,500 industrial consumers were connected with the existing gas network.

Replying to a question, he said provision of gas facility to new localities was made under a set criterion and gradually maximum possible population would be facilitated by this.

He said it was not feasible to provide gas facility to a huge number of villages and towns under one year’s development programme which were situated far away from the gas supply system.

Rasheed said at present the basic problem faced by the company was insufficient production of gas which could not cover the whole country.

The government was giving special attention to boost gas production and attracting foreign investors particularly.

He said at present 2,000 million cubic feet gas was being produced out of which the SNGPL was using nearly 1,000mcf.

He said that nearly 3,000mcf gas was being supplied to fertilizer factories direct from the gas fields.

Responding to a question, he said the government fixed gas tariff according to the international standards and company had no role in this regard.

The government was giving 50 per cent subsidy to the domestic consumers which was actually a relief for them as gas prices were still as compared to rates of all other fuels. —APP