Pakistan’s perpetual gas tragedy

During the winter, additional pressure has been increasing on the means of energy across the world, as well as the increase in the prices of petroleum across the world has often been observed these days. This is mostly due to excessive demand, when it is often difficult to supply the equivalent of demand. But if there is a great reduction in the supply due to any reason, then the problem takes a very serious form, as these conditions are getting worse due to lack of gas in the metropolises of Pakistan these days. In Pakistan's economic capital Karachi, the disrupted gas supply is not allowing residents of the city to eat two times in peace. Along with this, its side effects can be clearly seen on economic activities. In course of time, availability of energy in Pakistan became a deeper problem.Gas crisis in winter brings the same problems as the unavailability of electricity creates in the summer. However, power cuts in Pakistan prevail throughout the year, and a cut of 8-10 hours in big metros is not a matter of surprise. The use of gas in Pakistan can be classified into domestic use, electricity production, commercial and industrial use and transport. A major use of natural gas is also in the formation of chemical fertilizer, and since the economy of Pakistan is somewhat more dependent on agriculture and agro based industries, the importance of gas increases even more in this situation.

Gas production and consumption in Pakistan

40 percent of Pakistan's energy requirement is based on natural gas. 43 percent of the total gas goes into power generation, as well as 21-21 percent of the gas is used in domestic use and fertilizer production. If we analyze the demand according to the states, Punjab consumes 47% and Sindh consumes 43% of the gas, whereas the producer of the main chunk of natural gas like Balochistan, is always cursed to withstand the shortage of gas.

 The supply of gas in Pakistan is taking as haphazard form, since 2006. And if the matter of the amount of energy deficiency in Pakistan is concerned, it is estimated at 3, 999 MMFCD (million cubic feet per day) as per an estimate, which will increase to 6,611 MMFCD (million cubic feet per day) by 2030. Power generation in Pakistan is mainly gas based, in such a situation, the direct result of reduction in gas supply is seen as a reduction in the generation of electricity. Talking about domestic usage, there are a total of 9 million to 10 million gas consumers in Pakistan, and every year there is an increase of about 5 lakh consumers in this bogey.

Continuously decreasing gas resource

Pakistan came into existence in 1947 as a nation, and for the first time in 1952 the reserves of gas were discovered. After the Forcible occupation of Balochistan in 1948, these gas reserves found in the Sui area, and after that Balochistan's suppression was became inevitable. And by this important source of energy, Pakistan got an important means of development. But as we know, the reserves of petroleum products are  steadily decreasing all over the world, and this is a clear danger before Pakistan too. Recently, according to a report by the Senate Standing Committee on petroleum, the gas reserves in Pakistan are capable of supplying the next 13 years at the current consumption level. According to this report, so far 57 trillion cubic feet of reserves have been found in Pakistan, out of which 36 trillion has been utilized and now only 21 trillion feet is left and available for use.

Conflict status in the center-state

Article 158 of the Constitution of Pakistan states that the territory where natural gas reserves will get preference in its use on other provinces of Pakistan. But in this case it has only become a misconception. Balochistan, the largest extractor of gas, is struggling with energy shortages. According to authorized data, the gas production of Sindh is 2700 to 3000 mmcfd, but only 1200 mmcfd is being supplied. The provincial assembly of Sindh has asked the Prime Minister by write a letter and asks to make a quick solution for this. It is notable that before the formation of the government of Imran Khan, previous provincial government led by PPP, and the Pakistan Muslim League government led by Nawaz Sharif, at the center, had been facing tremendous encounter on such issues.

Conclusion

The lack of energy is Pakistan's lasting problem and it is important that due to a project like CPEC, which has been taken to redress the problem, Pakistan has been deeply involved in a deadly and vicious circle of economic and political crisis. In Pakistan, 40 percent more gas used in winter, than ordinary days and this trend has been going on for years. At the same time, the continues use  of gas has been steadily increasing in the form of cheap fuel in industries and vehicles. But the rulers and policy makers of Pakistan never thought of making a long-term arrangement of production or import according to the demand and supply during these ups and downs. Instead, their full attention was focused only on finding a temporary solution, whose probability of success is rare. Simultaneously, the lack of energy in Pakistan causes direct and indirect damage to the economic growth and its harm GDP growth rate by 7-10 percent annually. At the same time, due to lack of energy, large scale industries and business losses their operation and even faces their closure, which causes nearly 5 lakh families get into the grip of unemployment annually, which is not only a big economic but also a social damage. Punjab is the largest energy consuming province in Pakistan, whereas its production is negligible. But the gravity of the politics of the country is contained in Punjab, so Pakistan's policies have always been more generous towards Punjab. Although Pakistan has tried to control the situation with the TAPI project and gas agreements with Russia, but it can’t be said enough. The root of this problem lies in the deficiencies in Pakistan's policies, plans and their implementation, and as long as their creation and implementation will be done on the basis of vested interests and prejudices instead of keeping all the population of the country in mind, the problems will continue and deepened further.