Karachiites | Pakistan

• Households hit hard by outages as residents rush to eateries and LPG shops • Muttahida, PTI slam SSGC for failing to ensure supply during scheduled hours • Gas utility denies disruption, claims proper gas supply ensured ‘throughout meal times’ • Says optimal supply being ensured to power and fertilizer sectors KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has failed to ensure supply even during meal hours three times a day, leaving people across Karachi helpless and fuming amid unannounced gas cuts. The SSGC claimed that it was providing gas to domestic consumers from 6am to 10:30pm without any interruption. However, over the past two weeks, Karachiites have been complaining about unannounced loadshedding in their localities. The disruption led to a frenzy, with many rushing out to eateries and LPG stations in search of alternative cooking options. Restaurants and eateries, including roadside snack vendors, were seen crowded in several parts of the city with long queues, mostly for roti and naan. “It was cha...

• Several neighbourhoods have to make do without gas for four days straight as temperatures drop to single digits • Households turn to costly LPG cylinders • PPP senator seeks PM’s intervention • SSGC says shortfall from two fields reaches 45MMcf/d KARACHI: The gas crisis that Karachiites have been facing for the past four days further intensified on Monday, as several neighbourhoods remained completely without gas, while other areas struggled with critically low gas pressure. While office-goers, schoolchildren and other people continue to endure the cold-induced agony of a crippled gas supply, the gas utility concedes the problem, saying it experienced a reduction in gas supply from one more field. City’s minimum average temperature remained in the single digit as the Met Office said it was 8.1 degrees Celsius on Monday. Residents across the city said that the winter freeze had once again exposed the complete failure of the gas utility’s distribution infrastructure and system, turning everyday life into a co...