The Economic Coordination Committee in a meeting on Monday approved a financial support package amounting to Rs 17 billion for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) – the country’s national flag carrier.
The meeting – chaired by Finance Minister Asad Umar – also gave a go-ahead to allocation of 10 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) gas to Sui Southern Gas Company Limited and 12MMCFD gas to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited from two gas fields, respectively.
The Secretary Petroleum Division briefed the ECC about the gas supply situation on SSGCL network. The ECC decided to allocate 10 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) gas from the Bitrism gasfield to Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL). The ECC was informed that the supply of gas to zero rated industry (process + captive) under SSGCL system, covering Sindh and Baluchistan provinces would continue during the winter season in accordance with recently approved gas supply priority for this sector. The ECC directed the SSGCL management to withdraw the gas load management notices issued to these industries. Likewise there would be no gas load management for domestic consumers. The meeting decided to defer the decision on the Gas Load Management Plan for winter.
The Petroleum Ministry had earlier sent the summery of gas load management plan to the ECC for approval as complaints of low gas pressure and supply shortages had started to pour in. The winter months – December to February – are expected to be tough for the urban dwellers due to shortfall of gas amid commitment by the new government to ensure uninterrupted gas supplies to the industrial sector. The petroleum division has estimated up to 50pc gas shortfall to urban population in Punjab and to some extent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Published in Daily Times, November 13th 2018.
