ISLAMABAD: Natural gas pressure is now zero at the private residence of Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and his family is using LPG cylinders for cooking, as he did not make special arrangements to ensure supply.

Meanwhile, Abbasi celebrated his fifty-ninth birthday at a remarkably simple and quiet manner by cutting the cake at his house. His small son was shown standing near him when he was cutting the cake. Due to cold, he had wrapped himself up in a warm shawl.

The photograph of his birthday went viral on the social media, attracting umpteen comments that lauded his simplicity. Since becoming prime minister, he has not shifted to the official residence and continues to use his private house in the posh sector of F-7/3 of the federal capital.

Gas pressure is very low not only in Street 18, Sector F-7/2 and Street 57, Sector F-7/3 but also in most parts of Islamabad, forcing thousands of families to use LPG. The prime minister avoided taking special measures for his house, saying he would not do so, officials said.

In the meantime, 1,000 CNG stations out of a total of 1,700 have been shut in Punjab and the federal capital. Pakistan CNG Association Secretary General Yasir Raza Chaudhry said that the number of vehicles using CNG in Punjab had come down to 0.5 million from 3.5 million. He said even if gas supply to these vehicles is stopped or the CNG stations are closed, only 200 million cubic feet of gas would be available.