MULTAN, April 7th: Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI)'s President Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan and Senior Vice President Khawaja Muhammad Usman has expressed their concern on the suspension of the gas supply to the industries located in the Southern Punjab area owing to a shortfall of 80mmcfd between the demand and supply of gas.It is the first time in the history of the country that the gas loadshedding is being observed in summer owing to the demand and supply shortfall.They said that industry was already facing hardships due to load-shedding of electricity and local manufacturers are unable to meet the demand of foreign buyers and they are losing their customers abroad.An official of the SNGPL told that the main reason for gas loadshedding for industry was the low supply of gas from the Qadirpoor Gas Field. The SNGPL official said around 550-600mmcfd gas was expected from the Qadirpoor Gas Field but presently the gas supply available was less than 400mmcfd. He said the Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) had assured that the compressors of the field would start working properly till the end of June and after that, the full gas supply would be available from the field.Another reason for the gas loadshedding for industry was the supply of gas to the newly commissioned SAIF Power Plant, an Independent Power Producer, the SNGPL official said, adding that the IPP was promised the gas supply as per the agreement in 2006 and SNGPL would keep on giving it the supply till June next year. He said 38mmcfd gas was being supplied to the IPP daily.The official said that around 300-400 gas connections, both domestic and commercial, were cut till now for running gas generators without informing the SNGPL.