‘CNG stations can mitigate petrol crisis in Punjab’

KARACHI: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Monday said stopping illegal distribution of natural gas can help settle petrol crisis in Punjab within 24 hours.
The sector that has a nine month agreement for gas provision is being preferred over the CNG sector, which has a 12 month contract, the All Pakistan CNG Association said.
All Pakistan CNG Association Central Chairman Captain (retd) Shuja Anwar said that if the gas supply agreement (GSA) was followed in spirit, keeping public interest supreme, the crisis will subside soon.
Speaking at a hurriedly called meeting attended by All Pakistan CNG Association Senior Vice Chairman Talib Hussain, Vice Chairman Khalique-ur-Rehman and others, he said that the situation will normalise if CNG stations were reopened across Punjab for seven days a week.
Captain Shuja said that price of imported fossil fuel has dipped to a level where the cost of production through natural gas or furnace oil has become almost the same.
Therefore, the government can divert gas consuming industrial units to furnace oil and save gas which can help start CNG stations in Punjab, he added.
The crisis in Punjab has taken a turn for the worse as an increasing number of petrol pumps dried and hundreds queued up outside fuel stations in various cities.
Shuja said that compressed natural gas was the only solution to counter the petrol crisis in the short term.
Reopening compressed natural gas stations will send a very good signal, impact the job market and provide comfort to the masses.