ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan CNG Association central leader Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha has claimed that despite nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, Pakistan may not import gas from the neighbouring country without upgrading gas distribution network.
The CNG association president, in a statement, said that Iran has completed its part of the pipeline for transporting 750 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) and Pakistan has also started work on laying the pipeline over 880km, but the gas could not be imported through existing old-fashion infrastructure, which would not be able to sustain the pressure of imported. He said the infrastructure must be improved immediately, otherwise all efforts to tackle the energy crisis through Iranian gas would go down the drain.
Citing an example, Paracha pointed out that Pakistan had initiated efforts to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) a decade ago, but gas utilities could not upgrade the capacity of pipelines which led to under-utilisation of LNG.
“The LNG terminal can handle 660 mmcfd of gas but the pipelines could not transport over 325 mmcfd, which is another example of mismanagement and incompetence of the gas companies for which the country and people are paying the price.”
