Islamabad: Pakistan Petroleum Minister Mushtaq Malik has said that there is no possibility of 24-hour uninterrupted gas supply due to reduced gas production and rich people will have to pay extra for gas supply.
Pakistan is facing severe economic crisis. As the debt burden has increased, its foreign exchange reserves have declined. As a result, the country is unable to import essential goods including food and medicine. Due to this, there is a severe shortage of them. Due to this inflation has reached its peak there. Prices of milk, vegetables, cooking gas and petrol have reached a peak. People are struggling without money to buy food.
In this case, there is a severe shortage of cooking gas in Pakistan. Hence, the amount of gas supplied to households decreases from time to time. Due to this people are suffering. In this regard, Petroleum Minister Mushtaq Malik said about this, “Gas reserves are decreasing, so cooking gas cannot be distributed 24 hours a day. And people who have money will have to spend extra on cooking gas. So, gas supply will be given to the rich at a price and to the poor at a concessional price. Similarly, this is fasting. Because of the time, gas distribution will be done without any delay during early morning Shehar and evening Iftar, which breaks the fast,” he said.
But the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry condemned the minister’s announcement. Amid severe economic crisis, Karachi’s industries contribute 68% of the country’s revenue. Therefore, it is unjustified to deny regular supply of gas. Many industries will not be able to operate if gas supply is interrupted, he said.