The government should draw a comprehensive plan to provide energy protection to its consumers in the wake of high crude oil prices in the international market.
In this regard, the gas utility should meet the growing demands for compressed natural gas (CNG) in Karachi, as, at present, the CNG-users are facing low pressure of gas as compared with other provinces, Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) Chairman Abdul Sami Khan told Business Recorder on the sidelines of a press briefing here on Monday.
At present, he said the country's economy is struggling with a serious situation due to continuous rise in oil prices in international market, which is likely to touch $80 a barrel from existing cost of $65-70 by end of this year.
Due to this reason, the government has halted many of its development projects in view of this situation and is searching for ways to face crisis on account of high oil prices.
The Association suggested keeping transport, except ambulances and inter-city passenger buses, off roads across the country, on Sundays.
"Out of our total oil consumption, 80 percent is imported as refined and crude." The CNG, which can be very economical, needs more attention of the government to streamline processing, so that the number of CNG stations are increased in the country, in order to reduce oil import bill.
Earlier, PPDA chief Abdul Sami Khan, while speaking at a news conference, said the process to establish CNG stations needs to be rationalised by removing bottlenecks, simplifying procedure, giving incentives to CNG industry.
He demanded abolishing policy of subsidising petrol and diesel prices in all cities according to distance from Karachi port to keep them at the same level all over the country on which huge amount was spent from national exchequer.
"The money saved should be utilised to face high import bill caused by oil crisis," he added.
Sami suggested that the government should focus full attention towards exploiting the country's abundant huge coal reserves as alternative energy source and use it for power generation by taking assistance from brotherly country, China.
He opposed the idea of adopting public holidays on Saturday and Sunday to face oil crisis, saying it was not advisable since it had failed in the past.
Commenting on press reports on reducing commission of PPDA members running 15,000 petrol pumps as well as Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country as an option to solve oil crisis, he said it was absolutely rubbish. It is not advisable to find a solution by putting others in trouble.
"If the government decreases commission of petroleum dealers and OMCs, we would not be able to run our business and this will be a bad signal to investors who wish to invest in Pakistan", he added.
The petroleum dealers and OMCs were promised to increase their commission up to 4 and 5 percent respectively by the government that has not yet been fulfilled.
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