RLNG to ensure reliable fuel supply for households: PM Shehbaz

WEB DESK: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that the supply of re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) would make it possible to provide reliable and high-quality fuel to domestic consumers across the country.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of domestic RLNG connections in Islamabad, the premier said that millions of people had long been waiting for household gas connections. “When our government took office in 2022, there was immense pressure to restore gas supply. Pipelines had already been laid in many areas, but there was simply no gas to deliver. Today, households are finally receiving quality fuel,” he remarked. PM Sharif described the project as part of the PML-N’s ongoing efforts to address the country’s energy challenges, recalling that under former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, Pakistan had overcome power outages of up to 20 hours a day. “The coalition government of the PML-N, PPP, MQM, and other partners has now resolved the gas supply issue as well,” he said, congratulating all parties involved.

The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers, parliamentarians, senior officials of SNGPL, and other government representatives.

The prime minister stressed that sustained national progress required “day and night hard work” and a united commitment to move the country forward.

Earlier, PM Sharif unveiled a commemorative plaque to formally inaugurate the RLNG household connection initiative.

Federal Minister for Energy and Petroleum Division Ali Pervaiz Malik said that, on the prime minister’s directives, the government had worked with Qatar and other countries to ensure a long-term solution to Pakistan’s energy shortfall. “By 2026, local fuel wells will also become operational, allowing the public access to affordable and high-quality energy,” he said.

Malik added that the use of RLNG would eliminate the need for gas cylinders in homes. He noted that SNGPL earned a profit of Rs29 billion over the past year while reducing line losses to 4.93 percent. “RLNG is a safe and environmentally friendly fuel, and the process of obtaining gas connections has now become much easier,” he said.