Daily Times

If sweltering temperatures in summer serve as a reminder of the shambolic power infrastructure, winter descending upon Pakistan comes with an agonizing reality that no citizen should have to face-the insufferable gas crisis. Every year, as temperatures plunge and the chill permeates our homes, the government’s failure to provide a stable gas supply has ignited an unrelenting storm of anger and frustration among the populace. Following the pattern to the dot, domestic consumers have already started fishing through their threadbare finances to make do with expensive liquified gas. The situation is fast becoming catastrophic in remote areas, especially in Balochistan, prompting widespread protests.

There’s no shortage of reports highlighting a confluence of failures-dwindling gas reserves, an utterly inefficient distribution system, and a spike in demand driven by the harsh winter weather, as a result of which families across the nation are left in the dark-literally and figuratively-forced to endure the bone-chilling cold in what should be their sanctuary. Hours without heat, while the local authorities twiddle their thumbs, is an insult to the very idea of governance.

The frustration is palpable, a seething current running through society, as citizens demand accountability and real solutions from their leaders. And what do we receive in return? A chorus of excuses and a shameful blame game. The response has been woefully inadequate, and even as Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif issues a directive to ensure a steady gas supply, such promises ring hollow against a backdrop of suffering.

The Iran gas pipeline was said to shine through the abyss as a beacon of hope. Yet here we are, languishing in political infighting and procrastination while a solution lies within reach. Political tensions and bureaucratic delays have turned this promising project into a distant dream, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of the negligence.

As we call on Islamabad to turn its attention towards citizens vying for warmth by prioritising upgrades and exploring alternative energy sources, its plan seems to be heading in another direction. OGRA’s proposal for a gas tariff hike would not differentiate when adding to the woes of industrial consumers or ordinary households. How hapless Pakistanis would find space in their upturned budgets to pay for a utility that does not bother to show up is a different story altogether! *