Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has enforced gas load management for domestic consumers in Islamabad, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, restricting supplies to three daily cooking-time slots starting today (Wednesday). Dwindling Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) availability and rising winter demand have placed additional pressure on the country's already strained gas supply system.
Under the new schedule, domestic consumers will receive gas from 6:30am to 9:00am, 12:00pm to 2:30pm, and 6:00pm to 9:00pm. The restrictions apply to Islamabad as well, with the government prioritizing household consumption over other sectors to manage available supplies during the winter season.
SNGPL has also reduced gas supplies to the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sector from 50 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) to 35 mmcfd, with plans to phase out supplies entirely in the coming days. The cement industry has already switched to coal, while industrial consumers connected to the distribution network are also facing reduced supplies.
Industries connected directly to the transmission network, including export-oriented and non-export sectors, are currently receiving approximately 200 mmcfd, though further reductions cannot be ruled out. Meanwhile, the power sector is receiving around 140 mmcfd, and the fertilizer industry is being supplied approximately 53 mmcfd.
Energy experts and industry stakeholders have expressed concerns over the long-term economic impacts of these sudden cuts, particularly on manufacturing and export sectors that rely heavily on uninterrupted energy supplies. Furthermore, domestic consumers have reported difficulties in managing daily household chores under the strict time limitations imposed by the utility company, leading to increased reliance on alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electric heaters.
The federal government and relevant petroleum ministries are closely monitoring the situation to ensure that residential areas receive adequate pressure during peak cooking hours, while also evaluating emergency imports to bridge the growing shortfall. Officials have urged the public to adopt energy-saving measures, minimize wastage, and use gas efficiently to help stabilize the distribution network as temperatures continue to drop across the northern regions of the country.
As winter progresses, further adjustments to the load management schedule may be announced depending on weather patterns and the arrival of additional international fuel shipments.