Draft bill for CNG kits and cylinder fitness to be tabled in assembly soon, SHC told

A draft bill of the Sindh CNG Kit and Cylinder Fitness Authority Act has been prepared and it will be tabled before the Sindh Assembly soon, a provincial law officer told the Sindh High Court on Thursday.

Petitioners Muzamil Mumtaz Meo and Tariq Mansoor had approached the SHC for directives against the use of CNG kits and cylinders in the public transport and school vans, and action against some police officials for demanding a bribe from a rickshaw driver who died after setting himself on fire in protest.

Meanwhile, the All Pakistan CNG Association and others also challenged the government’s ban on the use of CNG in intercity buses, and school and college transport vehicles.

The court had directed the provincial government to apprise the court of steps being taken for formulating a law with regard to clearing and testing the fitness of CNG kits and cylinders for public and private vehicles.

An additional advocate general Sindh filed a proposed bill of the Sindh CNG Kit and Cylinder Fitness Authority Act and submitted that the bill would very soon be presented in the Sindh Assembly for further proceedings.

A division bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, observed that the Supreme Court had already given directions with regard to CNG cylinders and public service vehicles. The court observed that a mechanism has been laid down but unfortunately it had not been implemented in its letter and spirit.

DSP Traffic Dr Najeeb submitted that school vans shall be treated as commercial vehicles and a provision may be made for granting them fitness certificates so that at the time of issuing the certificates, their CNG cylinders may be examined.

The high court observed that the situation would be improved if a proper law was legislated; however, the provincial government had not been giving any priority to the issue. The SHC also issued a notice to the chief inspector explosive to assist the court on September 19.