By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The government has lifted a four-year ban on new domestic gas connections, opting to provide Re-Gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) to households, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik announced on Wednesday, citing the need to address public difficulties and safety concerns.
The decision, approved by the federal cabinet under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reverses a 2021 ban imposed due to rapidly depleting local gas reserves. The ban had forced residents, particularly in new housing societies and apartments, to rely on more expensive Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders or other fuels for cooking and heating.
Speaking at a news conference alongside Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Malik said the government was aware of the challenges posed by LPG, including the inconvenience of refilling cylinders and safety risks from substandard equipment.
“Definitely, there’s the pain of getting your cylinders filled from the market, and then there’s the issue of sub-standard cylinders, which often lead to untoward incidents, and sometimes pipes also leak,” Malik told reporters. “Due to all of these things and at the people’s strong insistence, the prime minister and the government of Pakistan have decided that RLNG, which is imported gas, its new connections will be issued.”
The minister said Pakistan’s two main gas distribution companies, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), would begin processing applications for new RLNG connections once the cabinet’s decision is formally notified. Applicants on existing waiting lists will be required to pay a fee and install new connections to switch to RLNG.
While RLNG is more expensive than locally produced gas, Malik noted it is 30-35% cheaper than LPG, offering relief to consumers. “This means that inflation, regarding which the government of Shehbaz Sharif has controlled through untiring efforts, people will get some more support on it,” he said.
The billing cycle for RLNG will align with the existing monthly system, Malik added, acknowledging that RLNG costs remain a concern. To address this, the government is intensifying efforts to boost local gas exploration. “For the discovery of local gas, we have completed one bid round,” Malik said. “The second bid round will be completed soon. Companies from around the world, be it [from] our friend Turkiye, our friend China or our friend America, we will bring all these companies and try to utilize all the resources of on-shore and off-shore gas.”
The decision comes amid recent discoveries of oil and gas reserves in Pakistan. Last week, state-owned Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) reported “significant” finds in Punjab’s Attock district. In February, Mari Energies, a Pakistani hydrocarbon exploration firm, announced new reserves in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with initial tests indicating a flow of 12.96 million standard cubic feet per day of gas and 20 barrels per day of condensate.
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