CNG Strike: New Report

Most of the CNG filling stations and petrol pumps were closed on the second day of strike announced by All Pakistan CNG Association and Petroleum Retailers Association, causing inconvenience to people.

There were long queues of vehicles at a few CNG filling stations and petrol pumps that opted to continue their business.

Comparatively thing traffic was witnessed in the province metropolis due to shortage of fuel. Public transport was also thin on roads, which resulted in more and more problems for commuters.

Whether, in absence of normal public transport, LPG fuelled tri-wheelers were seen busy on city roads.

Chairman of APCNGA Supreme Council Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, 99% CNG stations were remain closed in protest from Sadiqabad to Attock in the province. Out of total 2,267 CNG stations in the province, owners of 2,250 closed their business against unjustified gas distribution policy of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL), he added.

He maintained that CNG stations in big cities, including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and central and southern Punjab, were shut, supporting the strike call.

Those who opted to open CNG filling stations were involved in gas theft while some of them were members of ruling elite and opportunists, he alleged.

He expressed concern over attitude of government functionaries, saying that high-ups did not want to resolve issue of increasing gas loadshedding for CNG stations despite start of summer.

We were forced to take extreme step of closing our business, he said, adding that the masses had to suffer only due to ill-planning of government departments.

He expressed regret over problems being faced by people due to closure of CNG stations.

Whether, he said government should resolve this important issue and ensure smooth supply of gas to CNG stations, providing relief to the masses. We are fighting for the cause of people as unprecedented shortage of gas should be ended as there is no justification for reducing gas supply in summer months, Paracha observed. He claimed that there was no shortage of gas in the country and intentional steps were being taken to reduce supply to Punjab. The All Pakistan CNG Association leader vowed that his association would continue its strike till the acceptance of their just demands.