All Pakistan CNG Association on Friday announced that it will observe strike on January 1, 2012 in protest against government's decision of exorbitant hike in CNG prices and imposition of ban on public and commercial vehicles using CNG.
Addressing a press conference, the Central Chairman of All Pakistan CNG Association, Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said all the CNG stations will be closed in Punjab from January 1, 2012, while the nozzles of CNG stations in Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be removed from the stations till the fulfilment of their demands.
He said with 13.98 percent increase, the CNG price will surge to Rs 86 in Potohar Region, which is Rs 20 more than the previous rate. He said the Association does not accept so much increase in gas rates, especially when CNG stations are not getting desired Gas. He said that the burden of the huge price hike would be shifted to the public.
He said the Association will not accept ban on refuelling of CNG in public and commercial vehicles on the bases of the recent cylinder blasts, however out of all these incidents not a single cylinder blast is proved. He said the Association is ready to cooperate with the government for checking the CNG kits fitted public and commercial vehicles, but this process will take time to be completed.
While talking about the issue of gas theft, Paracha said that gas theft can be checked from the records of SSGC and SNGPL, as that would help unmask the actual gas thieves. He said that SNGPL itself shows 16 percent gas theft, which is not possible without the support of officers. He said that there are some officials of urea industries who are also members of SNGPL Board of Directors due to which gas supply continued to their industries even in gas vacations. He said that ministry of Petroleum is intriguing against CNG sector, warning that the Association would disclose all corruption by government officials in next few days.
He said that Government is trying to shift CNG industry to LPG, which is next to impossible at present, as it will take a long time to convert the millions of CNG vehicles into LPG. He said that number of LPG containers have stuck on Karachi port.
Paracha said that the owners of CNG stations have invested billion of rupees in CNG stations, installation of kits and cylinders during the last two-decade, however, owing to the government recent move they would have to face billions of lose.
He went on saying that the only possible way to cater to the prevailing gas shortage is to act upon the gas supply agreement. He said that government should stop supplying gas to those industries whose nine months agreements have already expired. He said that the government on one hand has closed gas supply to 2100 small industries, but on the other supplying gas to 2000 big industries is continue, which consumes 90 percent of gas. Paracha said the Association appeals the consumer to support them and close their CNG stations from January 1, 2012.