ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's government has decided to lift its years-long ban on new gas connections for domestic use, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik said on Wednesday, saying authorities would issue Re-Gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) connections for domestic use.
Pakistan's government announced it was banning new gas connections in 2021, citing rapidly depleting gas reserves in the country. This forced users to switch from piped gas to other alternative sources of fuel for cooking and heating purposes, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas, (LPG), which is more expensive.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference, Malik said the government was mindful of accidents such as explosions due to gas leaks and substandard cylinders, and of the difficulties people faced in having gas cylinders refilled.
"Due to all of these things and at the people's strong insistence, the prime minister and the government of Pakistan have decided that RLNG, which is imported gas, its new connections will be issued," Malik said.
The minister said that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC) will entertain people's applications for new gas connections after the cabinet issues a notification in this regard.
