KARACHI, Dec 15: Representatives of CNG station owners’ and dealers’ associations and the Sui Southern Gas Company on Thursday decided that all CNG stations across the province would be closed for 24 hours beginning at 9am on Friday. The decision was taken in the wake of an extraordinary low-pressure situation that badly affected the overall supply of gas, said a spokesman for the SSGC. While chairing a meeting between representatives of CNG associations and gas company officials, SSGC Deputy Managing Director (Operations) Syed Hassan Nawab said that the line pack — the actual amount of gas in the distribution system — had dropped from 950MMCFD (million cubic feet a day) to a record low of 750MMCFD. In this situation, he added, it had become essential to temporarily shut down CNG stations to make enough gas available for domestic consumption. According to the SSGC management, the company is taking all actions to ensure an uninterrupted gas supply to its customers and will appreciate their utmost cooperation in this regard. CNG Dealers’ Association chairman Abdul Sami Khan, CNG Station Owners’ Association chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh, All-Pakistan CNG Association (Sindh) chairman Shabbir Sulemanji and the representatives of other CNG bodies and station owners attended the meeting. The SSGC side was represented by Senior General Manager (Transmission) Shaukat Baloch, SGM (Distribution-North) Salim Ahmed Mughal and SGM (Distribution-South) Shoaib Warsi at the meeting. Industries Sources said that gas supply to industries would be suspended for 24 hours on Sunday. They added that the supply would be diverted to the power utility for electricity generation. Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) President Mian Abrar Ahmad expressed deep concern over power load-shedding and extremely low gas pressure in industrial areas. Industrial production had almost come to a standstill in this situation, claimed Mr Ahmad, alleging that despite reminders the Karachi Electric Supply Company was not adhering to regular supply of electricity to seven industrial zones. The KESC, however, maintained that it could not ensure adequate supply to the industry as long as it was not getting the required quantum of gas. In their appeal to the federal and provincial governments, the KCCI and seven industrial town associations of the city had asked the authorities to instruct the KESC to stop load-shedding in order to support industrial production.