Pakistani cities face further gas shortages as a direct result of terrorist activity.
Terrorists attack gas supply lines (16, 18 and 24 inches in diameter) near Rahim Yar Khan, causing zero to low pressure in the twin cities. CNG stations also closed as a result, while Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) work on repairs. Considered to be the worst ever pipeline blast in the Punjab region.
Results:
1. Residents forced to switch to alternative fuel sources for their cooking. This doesn’t sound as environmentally friendly as one may have thought, as these practices involve using gas cylinders, wood or kerosene burning stoves. Oh joy,
2. People using CNG in their cars forced to switch to the more expensive, but consistently (for now) supplied petrol or diesel. When CNG stations are open, the lines of cars and impressive waiting times are very depressing to behold,
3. Prices for public transportation shoot up, as they have to switch to petrol,
4. Cooking times and prices at restaurants affected, some restaurants reportedly canceling home delivery orders because of trouble cooking,
5. Heating switched to electric heating, which invites hilariously expensive electric bills, even with 6 + hours of load-shedding per day,
6. Increased distrust in the government. Firmly established that everyone lies in their manifestos and cannot actually accomplish anything,
7. Younger generation has little to no incentive of staying in the country and fix their gazes abroad, with the statement ‘this country has nothing to offer anymore’. Depressing, but true sentiment, specially when jobs are hard to come by, and often require contacts and references and the requirement of minimum job experience, which nobody can get, seeing how there are no jobs, and even entry-level positions expect you to magically have 5 years of experience on graduating. Very odd.
8. Prices of EVERYTHING increase, because distribution depends on fuel…
Events like this are further proof that the lone individual is forever entrenched in regional and national processes and events that stem from the decisions made by extremist individuals scale up and affect millions of people, in issues as basic and everyday as FOOD. And all of this is ignoring the environmental damages one can expect from blown gas pipelines and the catastrophic deforestation one gets in a city when there’s nothing to cook with. I feel deeply connected to my food now that I know that the pathetic gas pressure we are getting, connects me to idiotic and destructive decisions made somewhere around Rahim Yar Khan.
For further reported aches and pains about this current gas-shortage:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1086211/gas-shortage-after-blasts-brings-misery-to-punjab
http://www.dawn.com/news/1086109/most-of-punjab-to-remain-without-gas-for-at-least-48-hours-sngpl
And any news channel in Pakistan. For juicy, FOX news level sentiment, refer to the ever-entertaining-frighteningly-up-to-date, GEO news
saherhasnain 