The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA), while rejecting massive increase in CNG prices has announced to launch countrywide protest against the increase. Central Chairman APCNGA Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha while addressing a press conference here on Monday said that his organisation would activate over 3.5 million CNG users to press the government for revisiting its decision regarding CNG price hike.
Paracha said that Central Executive Committee (CEC) of APCNGA had decided that the recent increase in CNG price is unacceptable to them and urged the government to withdraw the decision otherwise transporters as well private vehiclers would take to the roads and streets across the country in protest against the decision.
The government has increased prices of CNG in region-1, which consists of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Potohar Region (Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Gujarkhan) by Rs 11.58 per Kg and in region-II which consists of entire Sindh province and parts of Punjab by Rs 9.93 per kg. If the government did not withdraw the decision, APCNGA would go to the court, Paracha announced.
He said that the increase was illogical and unacceptable, which would further increase inflation, adding that due being environment friendly countries all around the world are rapidly adopting CNG fuel while Pakistani government is going to ruin hundreds of billions investment just to promote LPG auto stations. CNG consumers have already been disturbed by unjust three days load-shedding and now this price hike is not less than a bomb for them, he added.
"During past three months the government has increased CNG price by over Rs 20 to curtail CNG sector in a bid to benefit oil refineries and importers," he said. CNG sector, which is paying highest tariff, is facing severe gas load-shedding for three days a week, facing low gas pressure for another two days and facing severe power outages in rest of two days.
"CNG fuel is being promoted all around the world especially in Europe and the US. American President is himself promoting CNG campaign, but on the other side we are, full of Natural gas resources, possessing largest infrastructure, highest numbers of CNG stations and CNG vehicles, are now going to ruin our wealth and investment," he added.