SUMMARY of the article “Gas crisis,” Editorial, published on November 22, 2023

As winter approaches, households and consumers connected to public gas utilities in Pakistan are bracing for the annual shortage of fuel. This recurring issue, persisting for over a decade and a half, intensifies during the winter months, leading to complete cutoffs for certain sectors and rationing for others, including households. The root causes of the gas shortages are well-established: a drastic decline in domestic production due to the prolonged misuse of this energy resource and a lack of major gas discoveries to replenish dwindling reserves. Pipeline projects to import gas from Iran and Central Asian states face persistent challenges. With no viable alternatives, Pakistan relies on the import of expensive LNG to bridge the supply gap. However, volatile global market conditions, disruptions in the international supply chain, and balance-of-payments challenges have made this option difficult. Despite renewed interest from international LNG traders, securing additional shipments » Read More…