The federal government is considering lifting the ban on new gas connections of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) in a move to appease voters ahead of the upcoming general elections.
Sources in the Petroleum Ministry told ProPakistani that the government had imposed a ban on expansion in the domestic network due to a shortage of gas, however, it will be reviewed depending upon improvement in gas supplies and removal of pricing distortion.
The pending domestic application for new gas connections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) from July 2020 to June 2022 have reached 1,238,878 in the region of Sui Northern Gas Supply Company, sources said.
In this regard, the federal government has decided to release Rs. 17 billion under the SustaÂinable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP).
It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government had decided to allocate Rs. 70 billion under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the current fiscal year in the budget.
Under the SDGs, the federal government disburses development funds through members of Parliament for launching small schemes including gas and water connections and link roads in the deprived areas of the country.
The Steering Committee of Sustainable Development Goals Achievement Programme (SAP) which is authorized to recommend the release of funds in this regard held a meeting recently and discussed that there were a number of schemes of the deprived areas yet to be financed under SAP and there was a requirement of additional allocation of funds.
Don’t know when our JAHIL leaders will learn. These stooges have to lower the electricity cost rather than giving natural gas. This is the only country where gas pipeline for consumers are available.