300MMBTU additional gas by year-end: Dr Asim

Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain has said that about 300 Million British Thermal Units (MMBTU) additional gas will be available by the end of December this year. He said 100 MMBTU gas each is expected from the fields of Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Kirthar gas field and tight gas reservoir by the end of December.
Addressing the participants of All Pakistan CNG Association's convention titled as "My fuel CNG" as chief guest he said that the government would take all possible steps to reduce the gas load-shedding for the CNG Industry. The minister said that the government was trying to bring about 300 MMBTU gas to the distribution system by the end of upcoming December.
The minister while dispelling the notion that the government is trying to disband CNG sector, said that the government was just trying to distribute gas among all the sectors of the economy on judicious basis. He said that the government was going to end all the subsidies on gas being provided to different sectors and his ministry had forwarded the recommendations to Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet in this connection.
Dr Asim Hussain said that the government was cognisant of the problems faced by CNG sector and was striving to resolve the issues. However, he said, it has to consider the concerns of all other stakeholders including domestic consumers, fertiliser companies and power producers.
Asim said Ministry of Petroleum has initiated various policy decisions including a fast track development of new gas fields for increased supply of gas in the country, steps for enhanhcing storage capacity of petroleum products, revision of OMCs/dealer margins and introduction of new LPG and LNG policies to meet the increasing demand in the country.
He said to regulate the gas supplies the government has devised a load management plan in consultation with all stakeholders. The plan will not compromise the interests of any sector and it would be ensured that there is no injustice. However, the stakeholders also need to understand the intricacies of the issue and cooperate with the government so that both businesses and common people can benefit from this resource.
The minister appreciated the role of All Pakistan CNG Association in promoting CNG as an alternate vehicular fuel. Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhry, Secretary Ministry of Petroleum, Sabir Hussain, Chairman Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Azeem Iqbal Sididque, Managing Director (MD) SSGC, Arif Hameed, MD SNGPL and other senior officers of the ministry were also present on the occasion
Earlier addressing the participants, Ghayas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council of All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) said that the CNG industry was providing jobs to hundreds of thousands people directly and indirectly. He said that the government is collecting a total Rs 32.2 billion in the form of taxes from 3,300 CNG station, out of which Rs 27.1 billion is collected in the form of General Sales Tax (GST) and Rs 5.1 billion in the shape of Income Tax.
He said that CNG industry was saving approximately $2.6 billion of foreign exchange as it replaces 3.8 billion litres of petrol. Being an environment friendly fuel it annually reduces about 2.116 million tons of carbon, adding that two days gas load shedding for CNG sector was increasing import bill of petrol, which is equal to Rs 41 billion per annum. He further said that at present CNG sector is paying highest price for the gas as it pays Rs 571.88 for per mmbtu of gas followed by power sector Rs 447 per mmbtu, industry Rs 434 per mmbtu, domestic consumers Rs 107.87 per mmbtu and fertiliser industry Rs 102 per mmbtu.