SSGC ensures gas supply to SEZs under CPEC

ISLAMABAD: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) would gasify localities and villages falling within a five kilometre (km) radius of gas producing fields being operated by Exploration and Production (E&P) companies in different parts of Sindh and Balochistan under a project costing an estimated Rs4.912 billion.

“The company is in the process of preparing Project Cycle-1 (PC1) to undertake the first phase of the project which will be submitted to the Departmental Development Working Party (DDWP) for approval,” a senior official privy to petroleum sector developments told APP on Friday.

He said that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet in its recent meeting had allowed the Finance Division, on a summary submitted by the Petroleum Division, to release Rs1 billion to SSGC for undertaking the gas supply project in the localities situated within a five kilometre radius of gas fields. He further said that ECC’s decision is in compliance with the decision of the Supreme Court and the High Court.

The total cost of the project is estimated at Rs4.912 billion, out of which SSGC would get Rs1 billion during 2020-21, while the remaining amount will be given to the company in the subsequent fiscal years.

Meanwhile, according to an official document available with APP, the company would provide around 144,371 new gas connections including 143,023 domestic, 1,164 commercial and 184 industrial connections during the current fiscal year as per its annual network expansion plan.

The SSGC has also planned to lay 1,418 km of additional distribution and transmission lines in the fiscal year 2020-21.

During the last fiscal year, the SSGC had issued as many as 123,900 domestic, 700 commercial and 95 industrial gas connections besides laying 850 km of additional distribution and supply lines on its network.

The company would lay down a 9 km pipeline for the supply of 13.5 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD) gas to Dhabeiji Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Town Border Station, Sindh, besides laying a 3.5 km supply line to supply 13 MMCFD gas to Bin Qasim Industrial Park at TBS, Sindh.

The SSGC has also planned to install one new gas turbine driven centrifugal compressor at HQ Shikarpur, Sindh, lay down 125 km pipeline from Sindh University, Jamshoro to Karachi and a 31 km pipeline from Attock Cement Pakistan Limited (ACPL) Clifton to Surjani Town, Karachi.

July 18, 2020: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday said that contrary to its deigns of isolating Pakistan, India itself stood isolated having straining ties with all its neighbors.

In a statement, the foreign minister said that the inclusion of Iran in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Afghan peace process had dealt a blow to India with the opposition strongly criticising the Modi regime.

“India has lost its several soldiers in border clash with China. Nepalese parliament passed a resolution to press for demands. The India-Bangladesh ties are also losing the warmth,” the foreign minister said.

He said the inclusion of Iran in CPEC and peace in Afghanistan would be advantageous for all states in the region.