Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Aamir Tufail has announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has lifted the ban on domestic gas connections. He further stated that this year’s target of 300,000 connections will be achieved and starting next year, gas connections will be provided to 600,000 domestic consumers annually.
Approval has also been granted for liquefied natural gas (LNG) connections.
Tufail said: “Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders are 30% more expensive than our LNG supply.” He added that consumers will no longer need to purchase gas cylinders as gas supply will be made directly through home connections.
Claim notices have been received from nearly 245,000 applicants. Priority will be given to those who have already paid, although consumers can submit a rush rate to expedite the process.
Previously, LNG was imported only to feed the electricity sector, which has now stopped purchasing LNG.
“While LNG is really expensive, it is not unaffordable if it is widely used,” Tufail explained. The price of LNG has been fixed at Rs 3,200 per million metric British thermal units (MMBtu).
To ensure efficient management, monitoring units have been established at the SNGPL headquarters and regional offices. Tufail said the lifting of the ban and approval of LNG connections was done for the convenience of the public.
