Pakistan, Jan. 12 -- The protests in Quetta over gas shortages should be read carefully, not as a rebuke of the state itself but as a stress signal from one of its most exposed regions. Pakistan is confronting a genuine energy squeeze this winter.

Declining domestic gas production, global LNG volatility, pipeline sabotage, and extreme cold converged at once. Any state facing these constraints would struggle. The responsibility of the government is not to deny the squeeze, but to manage it fairly and communicate honestly.

On that score, the state's predicament deserves acknowledgement. National gas output has fallen steadily for years, while winter demand spikes sharply across the country. LNG cargoes are costly and locked into long-term...