ISLAMABAD, Jan 13 (APP): Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Monday informed the National Assembly that the issue of gas shortage for domestic consumers was persisting because of gap of 250 million cubic meters in supply and demand of gas.
Responding to two calling attention notices of Abdul Qadir Patel, Khawaja Sheraz and others on gas shortage, the minister said presently the demand for gas from domestic and commercial consumers and different sectors of the economy was 7 billion cubic feet.
The demand for gas was increasing by 7 percent every year, which was causing problems for consumers at tail end, he added.
Omar said the gas consumers were suffering as the previous governments ignored the oil and gas sector.
He said the present government allocated 10 blocks for exploration, and was going to undertake bidding for additional 18 blocks.
He said the Sindh government was not allowing the right of way for a gas pipeline that could ease difficulties for the consumers.
Sindh at present was producing 2243 million cubic meters of gas, he added.
The minister said Rs 10 billion would be spent on improving gas distribution network in Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The government would give priority to the domestic gas consumers and had asked the industrial sector not to draw gas from the system beyond its quota, he added.
He said the government would establish five refineries for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). In the previous government, nothing was done for the storage of LNG.
Omar said there should be parity in the prices of LNG and domestic gas.
Defence Minister Pervaiz Khattak told the House that a committee headed by him would approve the gas supply schemes referred by the members of parliament.
The House referred both the calling attention notices on gas shortage to a House committee so that it could further look into it.
Earlier, the House also passed the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority bill 2020 moved by Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema.
The bill to amend the Communal Protection Properties Ordinance was also introduced in the House.
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