ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Gas supply will be restored to 1,250 small industrial units by Sunday in Punjab and the NWFP.

The supply had been stopped because of rising domestic demands for gas in the wake of a recent cold wave in the country.

Managing-Director of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Abdul Rashid Lone told Dawn that the gas supply would be resumed to 275 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Punjab and the NWFP by Sunday morning.

“We have started work on restoring connections of these industrial units and CNG stations from Saturday. We would hopefully complete it by Feb 3,” Mr Lone said.

Despite this partial resumption of supply, over 2,000 industrial units in Punjab and the NWFP will remain cut off from gas. “If weather conditions further improve, supply of gas to the remaining industries will be restored by February 20,” the official said.

Caretaker Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ahsan Ullah Khan told Dawn that the supply was stopped to units with which the government had a nine-month gas supply agreement.

He said that as per government policy, domestic and commercial consumers were always given preference over other consumers as there was no alternative fuel available with them for cooking and heating purpose.

The minister, however, said if the cold wave extended further it would become very difficult for them to restore gas supply to remaining industrial units. “Our priority is the domestic consumers. We can stop supply to industrial units any time,” the minister said.

Answering a question, he said there was no provision in the agreement with the units that the government would compensate them in case of closure of supply.

However, he said, priority was given to textile units and other units that exclusively manufactured products for exports and domestic consumption

Mr Khan ruled out the impression that there was a shortage in the supply of gas. He said that because of a cold wave there had been a sharp increase in consumption in heating and cooking. He said the situation would improve by early March.

The total number of CNG stations in the two provinces is 1,500. Of these, the SNGPL stopped supply to only 275 CNG stations, Mr Lone said.

He said the SNGPL had an agreement with 3,200 industrial units for supply of only nine months. They would use alternate fuels for the remaining three months, he added.