If 'anti-CNG' policies were not abandoned: APCNGA threatens to go on hunger strike from March 12

The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Wednesday flayed the government for its 'anti-CNG' policies and threatened that the owners of CNG outlets would go on hunger strike from March 12 if the government did not stop its 'anti-CNG' policies.
Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council of APCNGA along with other office-bearers of the association, while addressing a press conference said that the CNG body would not allow the government to eliminate the CNG sector. They said that livelihood of around 40 million people was directly or indirectly associated with the sector and an estimated four million people were using CNG as a fuel. Majority of the Public Service Vehicles (PSV) were also running on CNG and 4000 CNG stations directly provide job to around 100,000 people, he added.
He alleged that all the concerned departments were harassing CNG operators, while false cases were being registered against the owners to discourage APCNGA. If the government forced CNG stations' owners to shut down their outlets the body will start a hunger strike, he added.
"We will protest anti-CNG policies of the government, unjust gas distribution, 5-day a week gas suspension for CNG sector in Punjab and continuous discrimination by the authorities," said Paracha. He said that all concerned authorities had been directed to continue harassing CNG operators even after March 16 when assembles would be dissolved, adding that top officials have been warned of dire consequences if they showed any reluctance in penalising CNG sector which is total disregarded of the law.
"Five-day gas load-shedding in Punjab is unacceptable as it amounts to punishing 80 million masses living in that province," he added. The government was using energy crisis to reap dividends by promoting influential energy mafia, which is worst kind of exploitation masses had ever suffered in history of Pakistan, he added.
Paracha said that never before such pervasive corruption has been witnessed in the petroleum ministry, which has shaken the foundations of the country leaving it to the mercy of plotters and international lenders. He demanded of the government to revere all the anti-CNG moves, abandon projects, which are to benefit few and reduce gas load shedding duration in Punjab.
Speaking on the occasion, APCNGA leaders Mubashir Hussain and Chaudhry Liaquat said that on October 04, 2011 the Prime Minister had issued orders to provide gas to CNG outlets, but it could not be implemented due to friction between petroleum ministry and ogra. On January 01, 2013 the PM secretariat again issued directives for supply of gas, which could not be implemented, while the orders of High Courts directing implementation of PM's orders were also violated by the all-powerful bureaucracy.
Mubashir Hussain and Chaudhry Liaquat questioned the government's that establishing new CNG stations will enhance the usage of gas, saying that new outlets would not boost consumption as these have nothing to do with expanding customers' base. They said that new CNG outlets will distribute load, which will relieve masses that have to wait for hours to get their vehicles tanks' refilled. The CNG filling stations owners demanded of the prime minister to get his orders implemented to provide them some relief as they had become sandwich between politicians and bureaucracy.