Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has convened a meeting on Monday with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to mend differences between the Centre and Punjab over gas load shedding as the latter has termed the gas closure for industries a conspiracy against the province.
Sources said that all sectors including CNG, textile, and fertiliser and cement industry had agreement for nine-month gas provision. "But all these sectors were pressing the government to get gas, being a cheaper fuel, for the whole year, against nine-month agreements, which has led to gas load shedding," they added. "Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) is bound to provide gas to all these sectors for nine months, according to agreements," sources said, adding that agreements had also provision to provide gas "as and when available basis" to all sectors.
They said that power politics had started, and different sectors having 9-month gas provision agreements with SNGPL were fighting now to get gas for the whole year, being a cheaper fuel.
CNG industry stakeholders claim that some members of board of directors of SNGPL were from cement, textile and fertiliser sectors and therefore had adopted discriminative policies. "Cement, textile and fertilisers are getting cheaper gas, compared to other consumers," CNG industry sources said, adding that these sectors are pressing the government to follow their vested interests-based policies.
Sources further said that All Pakistan CNG association (APCNGA) which was critical of gas load shedding had also agreement of gas provision for nine months. SNGPL is not bound to provide gas to CNG industry for whole year and could also cut gas "as and when available basis".
On the other hand, APCNGA has also urged the government to allow its representative to take part in the forthcoming meeting on gas load shedding, to be chaired by the Prime Minister. "If the government takes any decision without taking CNG association into confidence, CNG dealers would not accept it," Ghyas Paracha, chairman of Supreme Council APCNGA said, claiming that some conspirators were trying to destroy the CNG industry for the sake of vested interests.
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