CNG emergency: Media missing the point

As soon as the Federal Petroleum Minister Dr, Asim Hussain went on air on Thursday and announced, what should have come as news to none; the fact that Pakistan faces a dire emergency in terms of supplies of natural gas, television channels went into over drive extolling the hardships that would be faced by the nation as a consequence of this shortage. Interestingly and perhaps regrettably, most media outlets stuck to their usual format of coverage of the energy crisis by scurrying over to the closest CNG pump to televise the opinions of motorists lining up to fill up on the cheap fuel. While it is true that public transport relies heavily on CNG; it is worth mentioning that fares charged by these transporters are linked to diesel. As such, any shortage of natural gas for this sector should not translate into any significant increases in transport fares or non-availability of public transport. In fact, the government should take immediate steps to ensure that those making windfall gains on the differential between CNG prices and rates charged for public transport, do not irk the general populace by shutting down transport. Besides harping on the sorrows of those who have been left to drive their four-wheelers on petrol; some TV anchors also eulogised the demise of factories that have been forced to close down. These harbingers of doom appear ignorant to the fact that although furnace oil is relatively expensive; it is still a viable alternative source of energy for industries. But the most alarming aspect of the coverage of this pressing issue by the countrys plethora of electronic and print media is an industry that did not even warrant a minutes attention during the media blitz on the gas crisis. Fertiliser manufacturers that are the only industry for which natural gas is an essential input have received woefully little attention from mass media in this debate to date; and the coverage commencing on Thursday was no exception. Redressing priorities for gas supplies is no easy task for the government. If Pakistan is to manage its fast depleting gas supplies efficiently; the government has to prioritise the fertiliser and energy sectors while discouraging the use of CNG in private vehicles and even for domestic usage. Obviously, such steps will likely cause much resentment among those who have benefited from the use of natural gas at rates set well below international market prices. Members of the media need a crash course in the energy crisis so that they may play a positive role in informing the people about this emergency and changing national sentiments over the use of non-renewable energy sources.