Residents of Karachi in Pakistan who were fasting on 12th March endured extreme challenges when they found out that there was either no gas supply or very low gas pressure in practically every area of the city, dispelling the gas utility’s exalted assurances of a perpetual gas supply during Iftar and Sehri in the Islamic holy month of Ramazan.
A few days ago, the gas utility promised the public that there would be a continuous supply of gas for the preparation of Iftar and Sehri. Gas supply will be guaranteed between 3 and 9 am for Sehri, the meal used to obtain vital nutrients for fasting and between 3 and 10 pm for Iftar, the evening meal when the fast is broken, according to an announcement.
Sui Southern Gas Company Limited declared, “SSGC wishes a blessed Ramazan to its esteemed customers and would like to assure them of uninterrupted gas supply for Sehri and Iftaar preparations.” However, a large portion of the city was without gas during Sehri and Iftar, adding to the plight of those who had not made other arrangements due to the gas utility’s repeated promises of uninterrupted supply.
A representative for the gas utility stated that an endless supply of gas was guaranteed during the Iftar and Sehri hours. He claimed that because the nation’s gas reserves were being depleted by about 10% annually, there was a growing disparity between supply and demand. The posh regions Defence Housing Society, Bath Island, Clifton, PECHS and their nearby regions were most heavily impacted.
People from all throughout the city complained about the extremely low pressure, and others expressed that they could access gas by using suction devices, which the gas utility claimed were prohibited. The majority of citizens were compelled by the worsening gas crisis during Ramazan to switch from natural gas to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in order to fulfil their gas needs, which led to an increase in the sale and purchase of gas cylinders.
Additionally, they charged that while many portions of the city received no gas supply, areas near the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited’s infrastructure did receive enough gas supply. Insiders at the power company informed Dawn that one of the primary causes of the city’s low gas pressure was the gas utility’s outdated and inadequate distribution system. However, they claimed that because most people were using stoves at the same time between Sehri and Iftar, the pressure decreased. They argued that low pressure in some areas had also been brought about by the widespread usage of suction pumps.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) cautioned its ally in the Centre that the ongoing gas crisis in Karachi and other parts of Sindh might cause consumers in the nation’s second-most populous province to lose their patience, and that the SSGC would be held accountable for any unfavourable outcome.
Senator Waqar Mehdi, the general secretary of the PPP Sindh, additionally rendered it obvious that his party would support the residents of the province as hundreds of thousands of households were subjected to tests for their fundamental rights during the holy month. He accused, “It’s a sheer incompetence and failure of the SSGC that it has been unable to supply gas even during Iftar and Sehri.”
The Sui Southern Gas Company Limited has also come under heavy fire from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Ameer Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman for unexpectedly slashing gas supplies to home customers in different parts of the megalopolis during Ramazan.
On 13th March 13, he remarked that it was a major failure of the gas company as it was unable to adhere to its own load-shedding schedule. He maintained that many customers in different places had their gas supplies abruptly cut off, leaving them to deal with severe hardships and emotional anguish. He added that despite exaggerated promises regarding the gas supply during Iftari and Sehri over the entire month of Ramazan, the SSGCL failed on the first day of the sacred month.
