Lawmakers from both the government and opposition sides in the Balochistan Assembly jointly protested worsening gas supply disruptions in Quetta as winter begins. During a session chaired by Speaker Captain (retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, which started 50 minutes late on Tuesday, representatives stated that residents are enduring prolonged outages and low pressure while being charged exorbitant bills.
Speaking on a point of order, Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker and Parliamentary Secretary Abdul Samad Khan Gorgage Baloch reported that Quetta is also suffering from persistent water shortages and prolonged electricity outages alongside the gas issues. Deputy Speaker Ghazala Gola noted that the lack of gas is causing hardship, specifically mentioning frequent complaints from women.
National Party chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch stated that the crisis has been worsened by supply disruptions following the recent war in Iran. He claimed Balochistan's share of national gas production has dropped from 80 per cent to 15 per cent. Dr Baloch added that LNG supplies from Qatar have stopped and gas imports from Iran were suspended to curb smuggling, asserting the crisis will not ease until border crossings reopen.
Provincial Minister Bakht Muhammad Kakar informed the assembly that he recently met with Sui Gas officials in Karachi to discuss the shortage. He questioned what contingency measures the company has planned given the global disruption of LNG and LPG supplies. Kakar stated the chief minister has scheduled a meeting for next week with Sui Gas officials, and he added that the government is working to ensure supplies during the winter.
The speaker directed Kakar to include excessive billing on the agenda. Provincial Minister Mir Sadiq Umrani described inflated bills as a concern as serious as the shortage, citing a specific case where a consumer was charged Rs100,000 for 30 units of gas. Umrani urged authorities to provide relief and noted that the SSGC general manager visited the province but failed to address public complaints.
Provincial Minister Ali Madad Jatak reported that gas supplies to Sariab are almost non-existent, though he argued the shortage is not so severe that the provincial capital should be left without supplies. He cited a case where a person earning Rs15,000 a month received a gas bill of Rs20,000.
JUI lawmaker Shahida Rauf remarked that the assembly debates gas and electricity shortages every winter, noting she has repeatedly raised the issue and government members are now also voicing concern. National Party lawmaker Rehmat Saleh Baloch described the border region as the province's lifeline and said Balochistan's concerns are being ignored. He provided a breakdown of supplies, stating 50 per cent of LNG comes from Iran, 15 per cent from Qatar, 15 per cent from Oman, and 20 per cent from domestic production.
