Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly protested the prolonged closure of Sui gas in most areas of Karachi during the severe cold wave, calling the situation an “open cruelty” that has left the city’s residents in severe distress.
In a joint statement on Monday, PDP Karachi President Abdul Hakeem Quaid and other party leaders said that Sui Southern Gas Company has made it impossible for citizens to even light a stove as temperatures have plummeted to dangerous lows. They emphasized that children, the elderly, patients, and women are facing extreme hardship.
The party leaders pointed out that essential daily tasks, such as cooking and heating water, have become extremely difficult, paralyzing the domestic lives of countless families. They questioned the indifference of the rulers and relevant authorities despite the escalating public crisis.
The statement lamented that Karachi is the city that contributes the most to the national income, yet its citizens are deprived of the basic facility of gas. The leaders termed the gas closure, which they said lasts for several days in some areas, “a sheer injustice and proof of administrative incompetence.”
Citing hundreds of complaints received on the Pasban Helpline, the PDP demanded the immediate restoration of uninterrupted gas supply and an end to unannounced load shedding. They also demanded an increase in gas pressure so that the facility can reach all consumers.
The party criticized the government for not adhering to its own established gas management schedule, stating that in some areas, gas is cut off at 10 AM, restored for only one hour in the evening, and then shut off again from 7 PM until the next morning.
The PDP issued an ultimatum, warning that if the crisis is not resolved immediately, the scope of protests will be expanded, and they will “take to the streets for the complete defense of the people’s rights.” The statement concluded by questioning why gas is not available despite the laying of new pipelines, a project that has increased the national debt.