ISLAMABAD: A delegation of CNG Association met Federal Minister for Petroleum Hammad Azhar on Friday and launched complaint against closure of CNG stations for the last three months.

Azhar said that the government is aware of the importance of the CNG sector and will try to resume supply of natural gas to it immediately.

He said this while talking to a delegation of All Pakistan CNG Association led by its Group Leader Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha.

Secretary Petroleum Ali Raza, DG Gas Abdul Rashid Jokhio, Additional Secretary Haroon Rafique, DG Staff Faridoon Sheikh, and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Azhar said that the government is aware of the problems of the CNG sector and efforts are being made to solve its problems as soon as possible.

On this occasion, Ghiyas Paracha said that billions of rupees were lost, while the employment of millions of people was affected due to the closure of the CNG sector.

If the CNG sector was allowed to import gas, the government would not be faced with heavy losses and the CNG owners would have escaped losses.

The closure of this sector also hit the employment of hundreds of thousands of people and also depriving consumers of cheap and environment-friendly fuel.

He said that closure of the CNG sector led to an increase in the consumption of petroleum products resulting in air pollution and smog.

Ghiyas Paracha said that if only 50 MMCFD gas was supplied to the CNG sector, the oil import bill would be reduced by Rs84 billion annually.

The CNG sector has been closed for the last three months, while gas is being supplied to other sectors.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022