The temperature on Sunday continued to drop across the country as the winter season’s first snowfall and rain started, with people complaining of low gas pressures.

According to Aaj News, the northern parts of Balochistan – including Quetta – received the first rain and snowfall of the winter season. Moreover, there have been reports of low gas pressure and power outage as the weather changes and cold winds sweep cities.

In Ghizer, the temperature dropped to -10C because of severe cold, freezing the 150 feet deep and 2kms long Khalti Lake. It turned out to be a tourist spot and a children’s play area. As per the Met Office, many parts of the country would receive snowfall and rain in the next 24 hours.

It is pertinent to mention that many tourists have travelled to the snowcapped areas to enjoy the winter season and witness snowfall.

“Met Office informed that after a long dry period, a strong westerly weather system is likely to enter western/upper parts of the country on Saturday (evening/night) and likely to grip most parts of the country on Sunday and may persist till Tuesday,” read the December 22 statement of the Met Office.

According to the Met Office, heavy rainfall might generate flash flooding in vulnerable parts of Sibbi, Bolan, Kalat, Khuzdar, Naseerabad and Kohlu on Saturday/Sunday. “Heavy snowfall may cause road closures (Murree, Galliyat, Nathiagali, Kaghan, Naran, Dir, Swat, Chitral, Astore, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Neelum valley, Bagh and Haveli districts during the forecast period.),” it read.

Amid such updates, domestic consumers have been complaining about the extremely low gas pressure or no gas at all in peak hours these days.

“Every year in SSGC franchise, there is a shortage of gas. This is because of two reasons, firstly we are witnessing 9 to 10% of depletion in gas reserves annually and we witness a spike in gas demand in Balochistan during the winter season. We use 70mmcf in summer and in winter it peaks to 200mmcf,” SSGC MD Imran Maniar said in a video statement.

In order to address this shortage, he said the authority takes a lot of measures (Gas Load Management Plan) as approved by the energy ministry. “First of all, we provide gas to domestic consumers and we don’t priorities industrial consumers,” he said, adding that this year also the government was following the same procedure.

However, Munir added that this year it has been reported that gas compressors have been installed in many houses that causing gas shortage as the natural facility is stuck at suction pipes. He urged the people to support the SSGC and avoid using such pipes as its illegal.