Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGCL), a Pakistani natural gas supplier company now suspended gas supply to all the compressed natural gas (CNG) stations across Sindh and Balochistan from 8 am. on Dec 1 till Feb 15, according to media reports. Local media reported that The Karachi-based natural gas Supply Company may cause trouble for people of these two Pak provinces. Dawn News reported that the government has approved a load management plan to make gas available to domestic and commercial customers on top priority basis during winter season. The SSGCL, in a statement, said due to winter spike the gas supply to all captive power plants (CPPS) of non-export industrial units was discontinued last Friday till further orders. Nonetheless, all general industries, zero-rated export industries with its CPPs and fertilizer sector will continue to get the gas facilities, the Pakistani newspaper reported. Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) leader Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha in a statement said the SSGCL did not consult stakeholders before deciding to close the CNG stations for 2.5 months. He told that it was unfair to shut down Sindh's CNG sector, which is paying the highest price of $15 per unit for liquefied natural gas (LNG), while on the other hand, the sectors which are paying just $2-6 per unit are being promoted. “The CNG sector is not only ensuring a cut in the oil import bill but also helping to reduce urban pollution as compared to other fuels. This environment-friendly fuel facilitates transportation to the poor, but it is subjected to frequent tariff and tax hikes,” Paracha was quoted as saying by the Dawn. Source: India Blooms