All Pakistan CNG Association (APA) has demanded the government to maintain 50 per cent tariff parity between petrol and CNG prices. The APA, in its letter sent to Dr Asim Hussain, Federal Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources, said the decision to increase the CNG price by 15 per cent is in process, despite his directives made at a meeting held on May 4, 2011.
It said the promise of the government of 50 per cent price parity between petrol and CNG has not been kept as a result of which the consumers have been deprived of the benefit of use of this clean fuel, saving billions of dollars in foreign exchange for crude oil.
The CNG industry in its letter appealed to the authorities concerned to take positive measures in this regard, saying that the decision to increase the CNG price by 15 per cent should not be materialised as the same would tarnish the concept of cheaper fuel. It also said the CNG sector should also be taken on board in any such matters.
Moreover, it said the CNG industry despite recognising its unprecedented contributions in terms of its Rs 275 billion investment through installation of 3,200 CNG stations and conversion of 2.6 million vehicles, is forced to pay the highest tariff of Rs 503.64 per MMBTU. It said the industry has not only provided 0.3 million jobs but also generating Rs 25 billion revenue in terms of duty and taxes and most importantly it substituted 3.44 billion litres of petrol approximately per year.
Despite all that, the CNG industry has contributed towards improvement of environment and has proudly earned the status for Pakistan as the world's largest user of this clean fuel, it maintained. Furthermore, it said the CNG industry is continuously facing uncertainties and conspiracies to discourage the use of CNG, albeit the other countries are focusing to encourage the same to reduce their trade deficits.
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