APCNGA slams govt for closing CNG stations paying full tariff

LAHORE: The decision to close CNG stations is wrong as the federal government shut down filling stations paying full tariff and avoiding curtailing gas to highly subsidised sectors, said All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) here Sunday.

Condemning the decision, Ghiyas Paracha central leader, All Pakistan CNG Association said thousands of businesses would close and hundreds of thousands people would be unemployed. He was commenting on steps taken by gas utilities for closure of CNG stations for four days - from December 19 to 23. An emergency virtual meeting of the central executive committee of the APCNGA was held over Zoom to discuss gas curtailment, which was chaired by central chairman Khalid Latif while Ghiyas Paracha and other officials participated in it. The meeting declared the gas shutdown totally unjustified. Speaking on the occasion, Ghiyas Paracha said the sector which takes gas at full rate is being shut down and those who take subsidised gas are being supplied.

How wise it is, he posed a question. He observed that the CNG sector should be handled on equal grounds. He was of the view that gas supply increased this year if compared to last year’s level.

The closure of CNG shutdown will increase air pollution and leave millions unemployed, said the participants. They demanded the Petroleum Minister Omar Ayub and petroleum adviser Nadeem Babar to take action against those responsible for this crisis and those who were obstructing the solution of this crisis.