While rejecting the recent hike in gas tariff, the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) has demanded of the federal government to immediately withdraw its decision to protect the CNG industry from devastation. Speaking a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday, APCNGA KP Zone Chairman Fazal Muqeem Khan said that the CNG sector which is already facing multiple problems will become unfeasible after the gas price hike which would waste investments of Rs 450 billion in the industry and leave hundreds of thousands unemployed.
He called for the exclusion of the sector from the hike in gas prices. He added the non-viability of the limping CNG sector will add to the oil import bill, increase the budgetary deficit and enhance environmental pollution. Furthermore, he said that CNG sector is already paying more than any other sector for natural gas while an additional burden of 40 percent on this sector will be unbearable, as it will increase the price of fuel by Rs 18-20 per kilogram.
Flanked by the association, General Secretary Mohammad Khaleequr Rehman, Vice Chairman Haji Mohammad Iqbal and others, Muqam Khan said that it not only increases gas tariff, but it would also push to enhance the existing General Sale Tax (GST) 17 percent, advance tax 6 per cent up that can also add increase of 23 percent of other taxes, which were collecting from the CNG industry. He maintained that the additional burden of 13 percent line losses would be recovered from consumers, poor masses and taxi drivers which will cause price-hike in the country. He added the transports fares would also increase by 40-50 percent that can ultimate affect the poor masses as well as trigger unemployment and food inflation.