PESHAWAR: The CNG station Association announces nationwide protest on December 27 against the suspension of gas to fuel stations.
Addressing a protest rally in Peshawar, the CNG [Compressed Natural Gas] Association President Fazal Muqeem said that due to the “incompetence” of the federal government, the CNG sector is on the verge of collapse and they are facing of rupees loss.
He said that earlier, it was decided to suspend supply for 17 hours to facilitate domestic consumers but now, the government has decided 24 hours suspension which will bring the CNG sector to complete halt.
Muqeem said that they reject the decision as not only the fuel station owners but motorists are also facing very difficult situation. The association’s president told the media that long queues of vehicles become a routine after the government halted supply for 17 hours.
“The CNG sector is already in ruins, now they are being threatened by the district administration and closing their gas stations,” Muqeem said.
The demonstrators declared that Federal Minister Hamad Azhar “incompetent” over his failure get LNG and now the fuel stations have been made scapegoat. Participants said that even after keeping CNG stations closed for hours, the government could not ensure supply of gas to domestic consumers.
The protesters said that the government is earning billions of rupee revenue from the CNG sector in terms of taxes but they have not been provided any facilities. However, whenever there is crisis, the first target of the government is always CNG stations.
All Pakistan CNG Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has clarified that it supported the government in its decision to keep CNG stations open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm but warned that they will strongly resists the closures of stations for 24 hours.
According to Ijaz Khan, Vice Chairman, Operative CNG Association, Sui Gas Department officials are forcibly closing the station without any notification, which is a clear violation of Section-158 and the orders of the High Court.
He said that CNG stations were ready for 17 hours on a voluntary basis as per the government decision, though it is causing inconvenience to the people. “Now, without any notification, an order has been issued to close CNG stations for 24 hours till 28 February which is nation acceptable to the association,” Khan said.
