PHC wants unanimous policy on CNG prices

PESHAWAR: Chief Justice Peshawar High Court (PHC) has asked the relevant institutions to formulate a unanimous policy to determine the price of CNG per

kilogram.

A two-member bench of the PHC comprising Chief Justice PHC Justice Qaiser Rasheed and Justice Abdul Shakoor heard a case against low gas pressure and load-shedding in the province. The bench expressed shock to know that the CNG association fixes the prices of the commodity.

The CJ questioned OGRA whether it had given a free hand to consumers as well to fix prices for CNG for themselves like the CNG Association.

He said it was a wrong practice and ordered all relevant institutions to sit together and decide a unanimous policy in this respect, and present a report to the court in the next hearing scheduled for May 9.

Earlier, Chairman OGRA Masroor Khan apprised the court that before 2016, OGRA was fixing the prices of CNG and later the CNG Association was authorised to determine the prices by themselves.

The petitioner (CNG Association) said that KP was a gas-producing province and its gas production was 400 to 450 mmcfd while the province’s requirement in winter was 330 to 350 mmcfd. It said that gas load-shedding and low pressure were illegal and against the Constitution.

The chairman OGRA contended that the authority only issues licences and due to the gas situation, no license was issued from 2011 to 2020; however, only 43 licenses were issued based on the government policy in 2020.

Justice Qaiser Rashid said that OGRA was awarding licences to companies while people did not have access to gas.

He said that two CNG stations had been established at every kilometre and people were deprived of the facility.

The chairman OGRA said that the supply of gas was SNGPL’s job and it could better tell the reason for low gas pressure, adding that if the gas company does not give NOC, then OGRA cannot issue licences. Later, the court adjourned the hearing of the case till May 9.