The government of Pakistan has decided to shut down all Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations across the country during December and January as part of its gas load management plan for the winter months. This measure, announced by the Ministry of Petroleum, aims to prioritize the supply of natural gas to domestic consumers amidst a declining annual gas production rate of 5%. The decision also extends to industries that generate electricity from gas, which will face supply interruptions during this period, forcing them to rely on electricity from utility companies.
The shutdown will affect CNG stations and industries across all provinces, including Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), despite ongoing gas production in these regions. The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has been instructed to issue shutdown orders to CNG stations from December 1, 2024, to January 31, 2025.
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This decision follows a decline in gas production and increasing demand during the winter, prompting the need for strict gas load management. Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, who chaired the relevant meeting, emphasized that the government’s priority is to ensure the uninterrupted supply of gas to households during the coldest months.
The CNG sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will also face similar restrictions. Earlier in the year, the federal government had sought the cooperation of the K-P government to assist in enforcing gas suspensions for the CNG sector. This followed resistance from local authorities in Peshawar to implement the Winter Gas Load Management Plan.
The suspension of gas supplies has sparked frustration, particularly in the public transport sector, where many vehicles depend on CNG. The halt in gas supply has caused disruptions in transport services, leaving many public transport vehicles off the roads during periods of CNG station closures. The government is keen to manage the country’s limited gas resources effectively during peak winter demand to avoid system-wide pressure drops and gas shortages.
