ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee meeting on Thursday saw sharp criticism of the government over the ongoing gas crisis, citing poor coordination and mismanagement as key factors behind an oversupply in some areas and shortages for consumers elsewhere.
The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum, led by Senator Umar Farooq, expressed frustration over delays in addressing critical issues, including the vacant position of Director General for Petroleum Concessions (DGPC). The committee decided to reconvene with the petroleum minister present to ensure accountability.
During the meeting, Additional Secretary Petroleum, Momin Agha, revealed that $1.23 billion had been spent on drilling 56 sites over three years, yielding 7,696 barrels of oil and 260 million cubic feet of gas daily. Despite this, gas shortfalls persist, especially in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where supply curtailments by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) have drawn criticism.
Senator Quratul Ain Marri highlighted gas pressure issues caused by excess supply in the network, while the Director General of Gas acknowledged curtailments in the northern region and field depletion in the south. The lack of storage capacity and the financial strain of selling imported gas to domestic consumers below cost were also identified as major challenges.
The committee urged the petroleum division to expedite the DGPC appointment and implement proactive measures to address the gas crisis effectively.
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
