Panelists included MUET’s Professor Dr. Hafeez-ur-Rehman. Dean, Faculty of Engineering, and Professor Dr. Farman Ali Shah, Chairman (Chemical Engineering Department). From the SSGC side, Shoaib Warsi, SGM (Transmission), Nisar Ahmed Sheikh, GM (Distribution- Lower Sindh) and Madni Arafat Siddiqui, DGM (Distribution – Karachi Central) participated in the discussions. Syed Imran Ahmed, DCM (Corporate Communications) was the moderator. Professor Dr.
Mohammad Aslam Uqaili, Vice Chancellor, MUET was invited as the guest of honour.
The moderator probed the panelists on various issues facing the energy sector. They included reasons for demand and supply gap of energy resources, initiatives taken by MUET to overcome energy crisis and efforts by SSGC to stem out gas theft as well as augment gas supplies. MUET’s panelists were of the opinion that the present crisis can be attributed to mismanagement rather than lack of energy resources. The SSGC panelists agreed with the perspective but added that it was also time to look into alternative resources as solutions to bridge the widening demand and supply gap. Dr. Farman of MUET elaborated that the University’s Chemical Engineering Department runs a linkage program with Brunel University that involves faculty visits to and from Brunel University, conferences, seminars, workshops and training courses and research on “Waste Management”. He said that MUET has a sustainable development research cell working in the department, which carry out research programs on Water Energy and other natural resources.
SGM (Transmission) said that SSGC is one of the leading players in arranging for the import of LNG that will help to resolve the energy issue by augmenting the supplies. He reiterated that the solution lies not just with the policy makers but with common citizens too who by following simple energy conservation tips can contribute towards overcoming energy crisis. GM (Distribution – Lower Sindh) dilated on some of the steps taken by his Department for reducing UFG in Sindh Region.
Earlier in his welcome address, Shahbaz Islam, DGM (Corporate Communications) reiterated that the panel discussion-cum-walk was an extension of an awareness program launched by the Department in 2013 that entailed conducting presentations at schools about energy conservation, gas theft and other gas-related issues. He said that in the past too, SSGC and MUET have collaborated in CSR initiatives and this panel discussion-cum-walk will set the tone for future collaborations. Mentioning the walk, he quipped that many walks in history have changed the course of history and this particular walk, albeit small in distance, can set a direction for the mission at hand.
In his keynote address, the MUET VC appreciated the SSGC management and the Company’s Corporate Communication Department for seeing the need for discussion and dialogue to find solutions for pressing energy issues. He expressed the hope that both SSGC and MUET will work together on mutually beneficial projects in the future too.
A Q&A session followed during which students asked the panelists some very inquisitive questions regarding the energy scenario. After an absorbing panel discussion, the panelists were presented with memento and SSGC souveniers by Vice Chancellor Dr. Uqaili. Ajraks were also presented to the SSGC guests by the Chemical Engineering Department.
After the panel discussion, SSGC and MUET teams along with the students of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Departments took a half a kilometer walk inside the University premises. Holding high the banners that read ‘Walk for the Cause of Energy Conservation’, the participants enthusiastically walked towards the finishing line and cheered for the cause both SSGC and MUET are fighting for.
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