Pakistan’s national gas transmission network has entered a critical phase. The pressure in the main trunk line exceeds the safe operational threshold. This breach raises the risk of a pipeline rupture. Such an event could severely disrupt economic activity nationwide.
Official data for October 29, 2025, shows the line pack—a measure of gas volume and pressure—at 5.177 billion cubic feet (BCF). This figure is above the five BCF danger limit. Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) attributes the dangerous pressure build-up to a sharp decline in power-sector gas consumption.
Power plants are currently using only 293 million cubic feet (MMcf) of imported gas for electricity generation. This low consumption persists despite Pakistan’s sovereign-backed, take-or-pay LNG contracts with QatarEnergy and Italy’s ENI.
Contracts ensure a steady fuel supply for four RLNG-based power plants in Punjab. ENI continues to divert one LNG cargo per month to the international market. This practice is likely to persist until December 2025.
Authorities have reduced local gas production by approximately 300 MMcf to manage excessive pressure. This decision has frustrated exploration and production companies. They caution that forced shutdowns can permanently damage gas reservoirs and cause irreversible production losses.
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A sabotage attack ruptured the Bettani-Kakakhel transmission pipeline on October 18, suspending supply from the Bettani field.
A senior Power Division official clarified that the RLNG-based plants operate strictly under the economic merit order (EMO). This system prioritises cheaper generation sources. It also prevents higher consumer costs from fuel price adjustments.
“When RLNG plants do not fall within the EMO, they remain idle. Running them would increase the overall basket price of electricity,” the official stated.
Energy experts warn that unchecked rising pressure could lead to a rupture in the main pipeline. Such an event would cripple national fuel supplies, potentially halting industrial operations, power generation, and household distribution across Pakistan.
