LAHORE – Paksitani government banned new domestic gas connections after major disruption in RLNG supply, leaving thousands of hopeful applicants in limbo and sparked fresh concerns about energy shortages across the country.
Not only have new applications been halted, but even those already in the pipeline including applicants who submitted urgent vouchers and paid demand notices, have seen their connection process abruptly suspended. This sweeping halt has pushed thousands of pending connections into uncertainty.
After years of restrictions, the government had only recently resumed issuing new gas connections, and hundreds had already been installed before the crisis struck again, raising questions about planning and sustainability.
The impact is already being felt nationwide. Due to the deepening shortage, gas supply to existing consumers has been restricted to limited hours, leaving households struggling to manage daily routines.
Senior General Manager of Sui Northern, Imran Yousaf, confirmed the development, stating that the suspension of RLNG supply forced authorities to temporarily halt new connections. He assured the public that the process would resume as soon as supply stabilizes—but no clear timeline has been given.
The government diverted gas away from the CNG sector to support power generation. While this step aims to keep the lights on, it risks crippling the transport sector and businesses dependent on CNG.
Under gas load management plan, officials say domestic users will be given priority during cooking hours to ease the burden on households. However, many fear this limited relief will not be enough as the crisis continues to escalate.
With tensions rising and uncertainty growing, the country faces a difficult balancing act between managing energy shortages and preventing further disruption to everyday life and key industries
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