THIS is apropos of the statement given by Aijaz Chaudhri, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, before the National Assembly`s Standing Committee for Petroleum and Natural Resources on Feb 27.

The secretary has tried to create a false impression before the committee that the government`s gas development programme, whereby the distribution network is extended to new towns and villages, is a major reason for gas shortages in the country.

There is no doubt that the proportion of gas supply to the domestic sector hasbeen increasing. A closer analysis will, however, tell that this is not due to the fresh connections provided to more towns and villages, rather the shortage is more on account of the addition of consumers in mega cities.

To give an example, the SSGC offers 100,000 new domestic connections every year. The total number of connections provided to some 400 new towns and villages from 2008 to 2011 in Sindh and Balochistan in the last three years is 25,000 as against 300,000 provided in the same period in Karachi, Hyderabad and other major cities.

Thus the growth in the domesticsector is due to large numbers of connections being provided in big cities and not because of extending benefit of natural gas to small undeveloped villages of Pakistan.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources should stop this close-minded diatribe, blaming small towns and villages for gas shortages.

The inefficiencies of these companies where the SSGC loses almost 100 mmcf and SNGPL 250 mmcf of gas every day is due to leaking lines, theft and mismanagement which need to be focused on.

RAFIQUE AHMED SIDIKI Karachi