PESHAWAR: Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) organised an open hearing at a local hotel on Wednesday. The hearing was held on petition of SNGPL regarding determination of proposed gas prices/ financial requirement for fiscal year 2024-25, which was presided over by Chairman Ogra Masroor Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Financial Officer Kamran said SNGPL is currently charging Rs1800 MMBTU gas, which needs to be Rs4,400 MMBTU. He added instead of the entire increase, SNGPL wanted to increase gas price for only Rs2,276 MMBTU.

Provincial president of CNG Association Pervez Khattak said there is a huge difference between import and sale of RLNG. He said gas is being supplied constantly on low pressure to KP.

He sought privatisation of SNGPL like PTCL. He said circular debt had been increased at Rs9billion by giving subsidy to domestic consumers.

All Pakistan CNG Association chairman Fazal Muqeem said SNGPL wanted to put further burden on consumers by increasing tariffs.

We do not accept the decision of joining RLNG to SNGPL, Nazish Muzaffar, Representative Co-operator CNG said.

Abdul Rasheed, a consumer said those who even have e gas connection are using gas cylinders frequently. He added that gas pressure is very low and urged SNGPL to not put more burdens on common consumers.

Fuad Ishaq, president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is producing 615 mmcfd of gas. He added a total of 200 mmcfd gas is being supplied to commercial and domestic consumers of KP. KP has exported 415 mmcfd of gas beyond its requirement and given it to National Lines, he said.

Fuad Ishaq said the cost of raw materials of our industry has increased manifold owing to being faraway from the port city. We are producing 31 thousand barrels of oil per day which is 42% of the total production of the country. He said KP is producing more gas than of its requirement, asking what we have to do with RLNG. He said If KP would be included in the RLNG basket, its will go completely closed down.

Whatever SNGPL says, we don't have to believe everything, Masroor Ahmed, Chairman OGRA while responding to various queries during the public hearing here. He said the final decision on the prices will be taken on 1 July 2024. He added Ogra listens not only to one party but to all people.

Masroor Ahmad said the use of LPG in vehicles is very dangerous and it should be stopped.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024