- Erratic gas supply forces Pakistani households to schedule meals around availability.
- Women managing kitchens face challenges with fluctuating gas pressure schedules.
- Disruptions in LNG imports due to regional tensions worsen energy crisis.
Pakistan’s worsening fuel crisis is now reshaping everyday life inside households, with families increasingly organising meals around erratic gas supply schedules. The shortage, linked to declining domestic production and disruptions in liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports amid the ongoing Iran conflict, has particularly affected women managing kitchens and household routines. Reporting by Al Jazeera highlighted how residents in Karachi are waking earlier, rushing meal preparation and adjusting their daily schedules to brief windows of gas availability as the country struggles with mounting energy pressure and reduced LNG shipments.
Kitchens Under Pressure
According to Al Jazeera report, many households in Karachi now receive cooking gas only during limited hours in the morning, afternoon and evening.
One resident, 60-year-old Farhat Qureshi, told the publication that her “whole morning revolves around gas”, describing how missed supply windows delay cooking and disrupt household routines. Another Karachi resident, Laiba Zahid, said dinner timings are now dictated entirely by gas availability, with families forced to finish cooking before the pressure drops late at night.
The report noted that even small routines, including evening tea, are being affected as households race against fluctuating supply schedules.
LNG Imports Hit
Pakistan’s energy difficulties have deepened in recent months after regional tensions involving Iran disrupted LNG movement across the region. Imported LNG accounts for a major share of Pakistan’s electricity generation and supplements declining domestic gas reserves.
Cargo data cited by Al Jazeera showed Pakistan usually received between eight and 12 LNG shipments every month through 2025 and early 2026. However, only two shipments reportedly arrived in March following the escalation in conflict.
The World Bank’s latest Pakistan Energy Survey found that fewer than half of Pakistani households had access to clean cooking fuel in 2024. While piped natural gas remains widely used in urban centres, many families rely on costlier alternatives such as liquefied petroleum gas when supply disruptions intensify.
