Pak: Karachi faces acute gas crisis

Karachi: Pakistan's economic hub Karachi is facing an acute gas crisis with the only semi-state-owned natural gas provider on Tuesday announcing a tough schedule for domestic consumers.

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) announced that domestic consumers would get gas supply only for eight hours a day morning, afternoon, and evening during "meal timing".

The announcement comes after months of unannounced gas load shedding in the city which has left domestic consumers frustrated and angry.

"As per the prime minister's directives, SSGC is ensuring gas supply to its customers during meal hours as per the given schedule," the utility said in a tweet.

The utility company, however, made no mention of the remaining 16 hours of the day.

Pakistan's gas reserves are depleting fast as demand for fuel has surged with the growing population even as the supplies are shrinking due to no discovery of new gas reserves in the last 20 years. The country mostly meets its energy demands through imported and indigenous resources currently in a ratio of

44:56.