The federal government has announced plans to end the three-year ban on new domestic gas connections, with a revised LNG-based policy set to take effect from the next fiscal year. According to the Petroleum Division, around 3.5 million applications are pending nationwide, including thousands dating back to 2017. Under the new policy, the demand notice fee for regular connections will rise to Rs18,000, while urgent connections may cost Rs80,000. For homes between 5 to 10 marlas, LNG connections are expected to cost Rs40,000, while larger houses will face higher fees. Old applicants will need to clear additional payments to secure priority, as the government has removed the annual cap of 100,000 new connections, citing sufficient LNG supply for six million households. The rollout, however, will depend on the availability of meters with gas companies.