Pakistan Gas Output Down Half in a Decade

Pakistan gas output has fallen by about half over the last decade, forcing the Sui Southern Gas Company to restrict supply to homes to three meal times a day. The utility’s managing director, Muhammad Amin Rajput, gave the figures in an interview with Dawn on Saturday.

The schedule was necessary, he said, because the country’s gas output had dropped around 50 percent in ten years, while imported LNG supplies had also become hard to secure since April because of the Iran war. “By focusing on supply during cooking hours, the company can protect domestic consumers,” Mr Rajput said.

SSGC’s gas availability has fallen to around 605 million cubic feet per day because of depletion in gas fields, compared with 695 million cubic feet per day last year. Of that, around 300 million cubic feet goes to domestic consumers, while the rest is supplied to industry, power and fertiliser plants.

Pakistan gas output falls to three windows a day

The utility has decided to supply gas during the breakfast, lunch and dinner windows so that every household gets fuel when it matters most. Under the winter schedule announced on November 4, homes receive gas from 6:30am to 9am, from noon to 2:30pm, and from 6pm to 9pm, a total of eight hours a day. SSGC has been monitoring availability continuously since last week, Mr Rajput said.

He said domestic gas supply in Karachi was adequate. Residents in many areas, however, complained that the flame was too low for cooking. “A localised issue should not be generalised across the entire network that serves roughly 50,000 kilometres of pipelines, 16,000 of them in Karachi alone. The SSGC has 3.2 million customers across Sindh and Balochistan, including two million in Karachi,” Mr Rajput said.

The same three windows apply in Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Sui Northern Gas Pipelines supplies homes on the same timetable. For families in both networks, cooking now has to fit into eight hours a day, with no scheduled supply for the other 16 hours.

Illegal compressors blamed for low pressure

The SSGC chief blamed low pressure on the illegal use of gas compressors and suction pumps. The devices can drain away the supply to an entire block or building, he said. “Besides being illegal, substandard devices pose safety risks and have caused property damage, and sometimes even loss of life.”

Mr Rajput urged consumers to report such use, saying that removing the devices would help restore pressure during supply hours, even though they may inflate bills by distorting meter readings. He said the company had rehabilitated about 7,000 kilometres of distribution pipelines in 2025-26, replacing ageing and corroded pipes, mostly in Karachi. “That has improved pressure at tail-end locations and reduced unaccounted-for gas.”

The situation was further compounded by substantially reduced availability of RLNG supplies from Qatar. “Besides meeting domestic requirements, the Petroleum Division has secured limited gas supplies to meet other critical needs. These include the power and fertiliser sectors,” the SSGC chief said. These competing requirements call for prudent management and judicious allocation of available resources.

The fall in output explains why the shortage keeps getting worse each winter. With local fields depleting and imports uncertain, the gas available to homes will stay tight unless new supply is found. Gas prices have already risen for consumers this year, and many households have turned to LPG cylinders, which hit a record Rs6,498 last month. Pakistan has also rejected expensive LNG cargoes to protect its foreign exchange, while local LPG allocation rules for state firms were redrawn.

Frequently asked questions

Why is SSGC supplying gas only at meal times?

Because Pakistan’s gas production has fallen about 50 percent in a decade and imported LNG has become hard to secure since April. SSGC says focusing supply on cooking hours protects domestic consumers with the limited gas available.

What are the SSGC gas supply timings?

Homes receive gas from 6:30am to 9am for breakfast, noon to 2:30pm for lunch, and 6pm to 9pm for dinner, a total of eight hours a day. The same three windows apply in Punjab, Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under SNGPL.

How much gas does SSGC have now?

SSGC’s gas availability has fallen to around 605 million cubic feet per day, compared with 695 million cubic feet per day last year. Around 300 million cubic feet goes to domestic consumers.

Why is gas pressure low in some areas?

The SSGC chief blames the illegal use of gas compressors and suction pumps, which can drain supply from a whole block or building. The devices are illegal, unsafe and can distort meter readings.

How many customers does SSGC serve?

SSGC has 3.2 million customers across Sindh and Balochistan, including two million in Karachi, through roughly 50,000 kilometres of pipelines.