LAHORE: Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) may face a gas shortfall of about 300MMCFD during the winter, forcing the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) to observe a loadshedding plan, especially for the domestic and commercial consumers.

The industrial consumers may also face the loadshedding, according to a senior SNGPL official.

`The situation will be better than the last year as we have no gas shortfall yet. However, we may face shortfall of about 300MMCFD in December and January 2017, SNGPL Managing Director Amjad Lateef told Dawn.

`The total gas demand for Punjab and the KP is about 1,200MMCFD. Out of it, 750MMCFD of indigenous gas is being used by domestic and commercial consumers in Punjab while 350 to 400MMCFD is being used by the KP. At least 450MMCFD of imported gas (liquefied natural gas) is being used by the industryseparately,` he explained.

Mr Lateef said the consumers receiving gas at the tail end would face low gas pressure and a gas conservation plan had been started to increase pressure for such consumers. On the other hand, the complaints of low gas pressure have started coming from various areas of Lahore, including Township.

`We have been witnessing low gas pressure for the last couple of days,` Tanveer, a resident of Township, said.

SNGPL`s area offices claimed to have increased the gas pressure in such localities after receiving complaints.

They started implementing the conservation plan in a bid to keep supplying gas to the consumers, especially the domestic ones.

`Township is receiving gas f rom the pipelines` tail end. That`s why the low gas pressure persists there. But we have increased the pressure,` the SNGPL MD said. KH AIID H ASNAIN