Sci.Int(Lahore),25(3),623-626,2013 ISSN 1013-5316; CODEN: SINTE 8 623 Short Fall of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Issues Of Affected Community; An Anthropological Perspective Aftab Ahmed 1 , Abid Ghafoor Chaudhry 2 , Haris Farooq 3 , Ansa Riaz 4 1 Anthropologist, Association for Social Development Islamabad, 2 In-charge Department of Anthropology and Sociology, PMAS- Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, 3 (Anthropology), PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, 4 Grants Officer, NRSP SGAFP, Islamabad Corresponding Author: huda.aftab@gmail.com ABSTRACT: A strong energy sector in any of its form is one of the main development indicators of any country. In this regard, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is comparatively less priced than other fuels like petrol and diesel. Pakistan is world’s third largest consumers of CNG where 100,000 vehicles use the same fuel. Whereas, at present Pakistan is facing its history’s worst gas short falls. Multiple reasons of this crisis are reported but one of the major reasons is issuance of unlimited licenses for establishing CNG stations without developing and following any policy. Present research plans on to find out impact of CNG shortfall on socio-economic state of its consumers. For data collection, a self-administered structured questionnaire was used following a pilot testing to rectify the possible errors. Study respondents comprised of both men and women belonging to different age groups whereas main groups lied between 25 to 30 years.. Findings of study showed that CNG shortfall have a vital impact on economic condition of consumers and 100% of the respondents confirmed an additional monthly burden on their budgets from minimum PKR.1000 to above PKR.3500.Whereas findings regarding impact of this crisis on social lives of people reveals that people are having less social gatherings, routine late arrivals at offices; restrict family affairs etc. Long queues for hours and hours consume most of productive time of working class leaving them with economic loses. Finding also reveals that government has no clear policy to encounter the situation to make people’s life easy and for a better tomorrow. However respondents think that if willing government can improve the situation by taking measures like control line losses, explore new gas resources, reduce gas permits and serious policy making along with strict implementation of laws. Key Words: Energy Crises, CNG, Socio-economic status, Policy, Primary Energy INTRODUCTION In Pakistan, around 3.5 million of vehicles are refilled by the CNG as compared to other fuels like petrol and diesel. Global surveys reported Pakistan is largest CNG consumption country in the world. But Pakistan’s gas equipment can’t bear this required amount of gas while also feeding power plants, fertilizer companies and other businesses that rely on the fuel 1 . In last ten years, Pakistan has experienced an extremely swift increase in primary energy demand. Figures shows, there is an about 150% increase in primary energy utilization over the last two decades 2 . The primary energy is a broader expression which covers all basic forms of energy such as electricity, gas and fuel for transportation both for commercial and individual applications. Any kind of disturbance among these primary energies is meant to be the disturbance in everyday life as well in industrial sector. As human societies evolved from normal to complex civilizations, the requirement for energy of human has endlessly increased. Present day, the main feature which accelerates the growth in energy requirement based on growing human population, modernization and urbanization. According to the United Nations, the world population 6.5 billion in 2005 is to grow to 9.1 billion by 2050 and the majority of the population expansion is projected to place in the developing world Asia and Africa 3 . World largest CNG user is Pakistan, declared in earlier 2010. Right now, more than 3,000 CNG stations are in service in 99 cities and towns, and more than 1000 would be installed in the next two years. These stations provided employment to over 50,000 people in Pakistan. But now; by the excessive use of this precious reserve in transport made the power sector very hanging 4 . Natural Gas is a significant attribute of Pakistan’s energy mix, currently representing 49% of total consumption, mainly for the power production, residential and manufacturing sectors. Oil makes up 31% and nearly all of this is imported 5 . According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, during 2007-08 the production of gas improved from 3837 to 3973 million cubic feet per day recording a increase of 2.6% but the at the similar, the growth in utilization increased by 4.4% which out positioned the growth in production of the gas 6 . Pakistan has exploited its gas treasure, which to some extent explains why gas is such a huge component in Pakistani energy mix. The Pakistan Government has still showing its keen interest to improve domestic gas production, concerning it as the country’s fuel of preference. Highlighting this has been the extraordinary increase of liquefied natural gas consumption in Pakistan, which now boasts the world’s largest number of gas-fueled cars 7 . At one time Pakistan is the first country in the world using the gas for transport proposes, but now the situation is quite critical when you say this, due to the much shortage in gas production and gas demand.