Winter Gas Schedule 2026: Gas for 8 Hours a Day in Three Windows

The winter gas schedule is now in force across Pakistan, and households will receive piped gas for only eight hours a day in three fixed windows around meal times. The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) announced the schedule on Wednesday, November 4, and it took effect the same day, with no end date announced.

Under the winter gas schedule, gas will be available from 6:30am to 9:00am for breakfast, from 12:00 noon to 2:30pm for lunch, and from 6:00pm to 9:00pm for dinner. Together, the three windows make eight hours of supply in a full day, which means households will be without scheduled gas supply for the remaining 16 hours.

Winter Gas Schedule: The Three Daily Windows

The morning window runs from 6:30am to 9:00am, giving families two and a half hours to cook breakfast and prepare for the day. The midday window runs from 12:00 noon to 2:30pm, covering lunch. The evening window runs from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, covering dinner. The timings are the same on both gas networks, and they are built around the three main meals of the day.

The schedule promises gas during these windows, but it does not guarantee full pressure at every household meter. Actual pressure can fall below the published windows, especially in areas at the far end of the network or during the coldest days, when demand is at its highest. Families should plan their cooking inside the windows and keep in mind that the gas may run low before a window ends.

Winter Gas Schedule: Who Gets Gas and When

SSGC supplies Sindh and Balochistan, and it announced the timetable saying it was acting on federal government instructions and would prioritise domestic cooking. SNGPL serves Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and it imposed the same three windows from Wednesday, November 4. The schedule applies to domestic consumers across all four provinces and Islamabad.

The Petroleum Division winter load management plan covers November 2026 to February 2027, but that is the plan period and not a confirmed end date for these timings. Neither company has published a formal notification setting an end date, so households will have to wait to hear whether extra LNG cargoes ease the timings before winter peaks.

For complaints and information, SSGC customers can call the company helpline 1199. SNGPL customers should contact their regional SNGPL office or the company helpline for their area.

Why Gas Supply Is Limited This Winter

The reason for the restriction is a shortage of imported liquefied natural gas, known as LNG, combined with rising winter demand. As the weather gets colder, households use more gas for heating and cooking, and demand is expected to rise by 400 to 500 million cubic feet per day during the winter months.

SNGPL has also cut gas supply to the compressed natural gas (CNG) sector from 50 million cubic feet per day to 35 million cubic feet per day, and it plans to suspend CNG supplies altogether in the coming days. The government is prioritising domestic consumption over other sectors to manage the available supplies during the winter season.

More LNG cargoes are being arranged, and the duration of the restrictions will depend on when they arrive. Until then, the three-window schedule is the way the two companies are sharing a limited supply fairly across the country, with cooking hours protected first.

Winter Gas Schedule: How Households Can Cope

The simplest way to cope is to cook inside the windows and store food for the hours without gas. Families can prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner during the three slots and keep meals warm in insulated containers. Water for washing and bathing can be heated during a window and stored in a geyser or insulated tank.

Households that rely on gas for heating should plan for cold mornings and evenings outside the windows. Warm clothing, blankets and electric heaters can help, but electric heaters add to the electricity bill, so they should be used carefully and only in the room being used.

People should also check their gas appliances before the coldest weather arrives. A blocked burner or a leaking connection wastes gas and can be dangerous, and any smell of gas should be reported to the gas company at once. Never use a gas stove to heat a closed room, because it can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

Winter Gas Schedule: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the winter gas timings in Pakistan? Gas is available from 6:30am to 9:00am, 12:00 noon to 2:30pm, and 6:00pm to 9:00pm, a total of eight hours a day.

How many hours a day will homes get gas this winter? Eight hours a day in three windows. For the remaining 16 hours, households should not expect regular gas supply.

Which areas does the winter gas schedule cover? SSGC covers Sindh and Balochistan, while SNGPL covers Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The same three windows apply on both networks.

Why is gas limited to three windows? Imported LNG is in short supply and winter demand is rising, so the companies are rationing gas and prioritising domestic cooking hours.

When will normal gas supply resume? No end date has been announced. The Petroleum Division winter plan covers November 2026 to February 2027, but that is not a confirmed end date for the timings.