resuming operations, said central office-bearers of the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA).
APCNGA Central leader Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said starting operations would mean paying fixed charges on gas and electricity bills which is not possible for a majority of financially-hit CNG station owners.
He expressed reservations over the government’s decision of allowing CNG stations in Lahore to open for only two days a week. He said the whole province of Punjab was suffering from a shortage of fuel; therefore, CNG stations should be allowed to operate for seven days a week across Punjab province.
When contacted, the Federal Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the notification about the suspension of four officials is yet to come and most probably will be issued when the prime minister lands in Islamabad today (Sunday).
When asked why the ministry has restored CNG supply in Lahore only whereas the masses in the whole of Punjab and Islamabad are facing a shortage of petrol, the minister said that in Islamabad the ministry can restore CNG if the residents who are enjoying gas in their homes surrender this right. However, he said: “We have restored CNG for two days in Lahore by diverting the gas that was being given to the textile sector and captive power plants.
The prime minister also issued instructions to the provincial governments to check the sale of petrol in the black market. He asked for taking further measures to expedite the supply and delivery of fuel.
Sources told The News that the prime minister has ordered a thorough probe of the crisis.
The government has stopped the PSO’s suspended MD Amjad Pervez Janjua from proceeding to Qatar where he had to represent the country in talks related to LNG import.
The general manager of PSO, Nasir Mahmood, has been designated to represent Pakistan in the meeting in Doha and he will be leaving for Qatar today (Sunday). This is the first time that four senior officials, including a grade-22 federal secretary, have been suspended by the incumbent government for allegations of negligence.
The sources said that the concerned authorities should have known that the alternate fuel for CNG was petrol and vehicles will switch to petrol. But the authorities failed to pre-empt the increase in the demand which swelled by 27 percent which was the main reason for the petrol shortage.
The official said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif asked the federal minister to restore CNG in Lahore until petrol supply improved 100 percent which is why CNG has been restored in Lahore.
The sources said that the country is also faced with an acute shortage of furnace oil and PSO is unable to import more furnace oil, which is used for power generation in the country.
PSO has defaulted to the tune of Rs50 billion of six local banks and also defaulted of the many L/Cs of Rs110 billion. Its recoverables have reached over Rs200 billion, but the power sector has failed to pay the dues of PSO.