ISLAMABAD (MNN); Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) on Sunday released a revised winter gas load-shedding schedule for domestic consumers in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, advising households to arrange cooking times according to the designated supply slots from December to February.
Under the new schedule, domestic users will receive gas in three daily intervals: 5:30am to 8:30am, 11:30am to 1:30pm, and 5:30pm to 8:30pm. The company clarified that industries will continue to receive uninterrupted gas. Although winter demand rises every year, SNGPL maintained that the system is not facing any shortages and urged the public to use gas responsibly.
The notification follows federal guidelines on winter gas management. On November 24, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervez Malik chaired a meeting to review the seasonal supply situation, directing gas utilities to provide maximum relief to the public. Officials from SNGPL and SSGC briefed him on national gas availability and the resumption of RLNG connections for households.
Malik stated that domestic gas availability this winter is considerably better than last year. SNGPL’s managing director added that supply for households now extends from 5am to 10pm aside from dedicated cooking hours, ensuring greater convenience. The review meeting was attended by representatives of the Petroleum Division, SNGPL, SSGC, and OGRA.
Gas shortages have remained a persistent concern in recent years. Pakistan holds just 0.4% of global gas reserves but accounts for 1.1% of global consumption, with households using almost half of the total supply, followed by fertiliser, power, industrial and CNG sectors.
The federal government has also restarted the issuance of Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) connections for homes, ending a four-year ban imposed in 2021 due to declining local reserves. The suspension had forced many families to depend on expensive alternatives like LPG for cooking and heating.
