ISLAMABAD: Amid devastating floods, Pakistan’s fragile energy infrastructure is facing renewed pressure after emergency gas transmission repairs in southern Punjab raised serious safety concerns.
At Jalalpur Pirwala, floodwaters damaged multiple sections of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) network, forcing engineers to lay a temporary 36-inch diameter pipeline along a six-to-seven kilometre stretch of motorway to reconnect two critical assemblies and sustain supply to Punjab.
Technical experts warn that placing a high-pressure gas line on a flood-damaged motorway risks violating safety protocols and could create a serious hazard if brought fully online. Parts of the motorway have already collapsed under flood impact.
Federal Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik confirmed that two 36-inch pipelines were severely damaged, prompting the temporary bypass solution. “A 30-inch line was laid along the non-functional motorway to sustain supply. This was an extraordinary measure under extraordinary circumstances,” he said, adding that the bypass is currently transporting 900 MMCFD of gas to Punjab.
An SNGPL spokesperson stressed that despite embankment breaches exposing pipelines to floodwaters, system integrity has been preserved. “Our teams ensured uninterrupted gas supply to central Punjab. Suggestions that SOPs were ignored are misplaced — in emergencies, technical adaptations are unavoidable. The bypass is temporary and under strict monitoring,” the spokesperson said.
While the two damaged 36-inch pipelines remain offline, the 30-inch bypass and a 24-inch line carrying 300 MMCFD are stabilising the system. The Petroleum Ministry has formally commended SNGPL’s management and field teams for maintaining supply under crisis conditions.
However, experts argue the episode underscores Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-induced disasters and the urgent need for resilient engineering, transparent oversight, and robust disaster preparedness. Whether Jalalpur Pirwala is remembered as an example of adaptive crisis management or preventable mismanagement, they say, will depend on how rigorously the response is reviewed in the coming weeks.
