The strike of CNG filling stations in Peshawar continued for the second day on Wednesday and was likely to extend to other districts of the NWFP as negotiations between All Pakistan CNG Association (NWFP Zone) and City District Nazim failed in making any headway.
"The negotiations of the CNG filling stations with City District Nazim Haji Ghulam remained fruitless as he refused to accept the demands of the association," said Ikhtiar Wali, president of the NWFP zone of the association.
He told Business Recorder said that Nazim neither accepted the demands regarding withdrawal of 1 percent local government tax nor agreed to follow the bylaws of CNG stations in letter and spirit. He said that the district government was violating the bylaws framed by it.
Thereafter, the Association held a meeting to decide about extending its protest to other parts of the province. "The executive council would decide to extend the strike to the whole province from today or tomorrow," Ikhtiar said.
The 68 CNG filing stations in the city here went on strike for indefinite period against fitting of substandard cylinders and operation of unapproved and illegal kit fitting workshops in the city.
The grievances of the associations include the levy of 1 percent tax on payment of natural gas bill by the City District Government and violation of bylaws for establishment of CNG stations by the latter. The bylaws of have been framed by the City District Government for regulating and monitoring of the stations, which have also been approved by the provincial government.
Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday morning, Ikhtiar blamed the provincial government for being silent spectator to the illegal practice of fitting of substandard CNG kits and operation of illegal workshops in the city.
He said that for last one and half year they had been demanding that the government should take notice of the malpractice. But it had done nothing. He said that the matters turned worse after the incident of a cylinder blast in a CNG station, which claimed four lives. The police, he said, not only refused to register FIR, but also released the vehicle concerned.
He also rejected the levy of 1 percent tax by the City District Government and termed it totally unjustified. He said that they are not against payment of taxes, as they are already paying 24 different kinds of taxes.
Peshawar City has 15000 CNG vehicles and the closure of the stations has created difficulties for the owners to keep their vehicles on the roads. "The representatives of CNG associations from districts Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera, Kohat, Swat and Hazara have also arrived in the City and have extended their co-operation," Wali said, adding that a meeting of the executive council of the association would be held to take decision regarding extension of the strike to other parts of the province.
Regarding moving courts, he said that they had already filed a petition in Peshawar High Court (PHC) and were confident that the judiciary would provide them justice.
Regarding negotiations offer by Chief Minister Akram Durrani, he said that they had held a number of meetings with him in the past. But this time they were surprised over his cool response. "Till acceptance of our demands, the strike would remain continued," he said. Later, the owners of CNG filling stations, along with workers, staged a protest demonstration in front of Peshawar Press Club.
They were chanting slogans against the provincial and city district governments. They were also carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands.
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