Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has officially lifted the ban on new domestic gas connections, a move confirmed by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Aamir Tufail. This policy shift will allow hundreds of thousands of households to gain access to piped natural gas across Pakistan. According to Mr. Tufail, the government aims to provide 300,000 new domestic gas connections by the end of this year, with a significant scale-up planned to deliver 600,000 connections annually from next year onward.
In addition to restoring domestic connections, the federal government has also approved the provision of liquefied natural gas (LNG) connections for household use. Mr. Tufail highlighted the cost-effectiveness of LNG compared to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), noting that LPG cylinders are approximately 30 percent more expensive than the LNG supply being offered by SNGPL. This transition means that many consumers will no longer need to rely on costly and inconvenient LPG cylinders, as gas will now be delivered directly to homes via a permanent connection.
Currently, nearly 245,000 demand notices have already been received by SNGPL, and priority will be given to applicants who have completed their payments. However, applicants also have the option to submit an urgent processing fee to expedite their connection.
Mr. Tufail explained that LNG, while previously imported exclusively for the power sector, is now being redirected for domestic use as the power sector has stopped purchasing it. Although LNG is considered expensive, it is deemed manageable in cost when widely adopted across consumer households. The official price of LNG has been fixed at Rs3,200 per metric million British thermal units (MMBtu).
To support the rollout and ensure smooth operations, monitoring units have been set up at both the SNGPL head office and regional offices. These reforms aim to simplify access to gas for consumers and are part of the government’s broader effort to improve public service delivery and energy accessibility.