Whole morning revolves around gas': Pakistan's fuel crisis enters kitchens

"The cooking gas at her Karachi home comes in short windows in the morning, afternoon and evening. If she misses a window, the cooking is delayed, food is reheated, plans are changed, and the kitchen waits. list of 4 itemsend of list I don't think I have ever seen this happening in my whole life, Qureshi told Al Jazeera. My whole morning revolves around gas."

"Pakistan's energy crisis has intensified since the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, turning a recent surplus of liquefied natural gas (LNG) into a looming shortage. Pakistan's LNG imports had already fallen from 8.2 million tonnes in 2021 to 6.1 million tonnes by late 2025. The US-Israel war on Iran put further pressure on a system already strained by years of declining domestic production."

"Pakistan meets most of its daily gas needs from domestic gasfields, which have been in slow decline for years. Imported LNG, supplied mainly under long-term contracts, fills part of that gap when shipments flow normally. Almost all of Pakistan's LNG comes from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and imported LNG powers roughly a quarter of the country's electricity."

"With the onset of the war, LNG shipments dropped drastically. Monthly cargo data from Pakistan's Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) shows that the country received between eight and 12 LNG shipments a month in 2025 and early 2026. In March, only two shipments arrived. Over the weekend, however, a Qatari LNG tanker crossed the Strait of Hormuz on its way to Pakistan the first such transit since the start of the war."

Women in Karachi wake early and reorganize meals to fit short gas supply windows in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Missing a window delays cooking, forces reheating, disrupts plans, and leaves kitchens waiting. Farhat Qureshi’s mornings revolve around how much can be finished before gas runs out again. Pakistan’s energy crisis intensified after attacks on Iran reduced LNG availability and turned a prior surplus into a looming shortage. LNG imports fell from 8.2 million tonnes in 2021 to 6.1 million tonnes by late 2025, while domestic gas production has been declining. LNG shipments dropped sharply during the war, with only two arrivals in March, though a Qatari tanker later resumed transit. Imported LNG supplies about a quarter of electricity and comes mainly from Qatar and the UAE.

Read at www.aljazeera.com