MPC slams Centre over Balochistan gas crisis.

Byline: Saleem Shahid

QUETTA -- The icy Siberian winds that have gripped Balochistan's capital and northern parts of the province since Friday is forcing people to stay indoors while they also face the problem of low gas pressure depriving them of much-needed warmth.

This was the main theme of the Multi-Party Conference held on Sunday in Ziarat in which leaders such as Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal and Nasarullah Zerey of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Ghulam Nabi Marri of Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazal's Dilawar Khan Kakar and Awami National Party's Abdul Bari Kakar censured the federal government for the gas crisis in their province.

'Since 1952, Balochistan has been supplying gas to the country yet here the people are facing gas shortages making it difficult them to live in freezing temperature,' they said.

The conference also criticised the policies of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) in Balochistan alleging the company was overbilling the people of Balochistan while they were either deprived of natural gas or being bothered by low-gas pressure.

Icy Siberian winds have caused the mercury to drop below freezing point in several towns

'The federal government and SSGC should review their policies otherwise people will have no choice but to protest,' said Mr Zerey and Mr Marri.

They also warned that they too would join the people in the protests if the matter was not looked into and resolved promptly.

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