PESHAWAR: All Pakistan CNG Association (APCA) Vice-President Ghayas Ahmad Paracha Sunday accused the government and petroleum industry tycoons of conspiring against the compressed natural gas (CNG) industry, which, he feared, would not only affect the common man but would also destroy the industry.
Talking to media, the association leader said the government had recently made changes in the CNG policy to bring the gas prices equivalent to petrol so that the consumers could be forced to use petrol.
“The government has been giving subsidy on petroleum products to provide petrol and diesel on cheaper rates after its purchasing from the international market, but the government is creating gas crisis, despite being in huge quantity in the country, to benefit the tycoons associated with the petroleum products,” Paracha asserted.
Lamenting the role of other industries in damaging the gas industry, he said office-bearers of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association met government officials the other day and recommended ban on CNG in the vehicles as well as its provision to the industry only.
“The industrialists are stressing upon the government for such a ban as the industries receive gas for nine months a year, and not in December, January and February, while the government is seriously considering to eliminate gas industry,” he claimed.
Though, he said, they had put off their strike for the time being, the association would provide solid evidence to the public about the present problems being faced by the CNG industry. He said those associated with this industry belonged to the middleclass and if the government did not stop such ‘unjustified’ steps, these businessmen would go bankrupt.
He called upon the government to formulate an effective policy regarding the CNG, in which the association representatives should also be included and their suggestion and views should be valued. “If owners of CNG filling stations have been paying taxes according to the government announcement, all extra taxes should be abolished keeping in view the unprecedented price-hike,” he suggested.
Moreover, despite Rs5.58 per kilogram increase in the CNG rate by the government, the NWFP association raised the price of per kg gas from Rs40.50 to Rs49.44 on Sunday. The people were of the view that increase in CNG prices was affecting the commoners only, as it is a cheaper fuel to run their vehicles.
Sher Ghani, a motorist, told media that the people installed CNG kits owing to the high petrol rates, but now the government has increased the prices of CNG, which would compel the motorists to go back to petrol pumps. “The motorists have been contributing their share to the national exchequer by consuming CNG. However, the import of petrol will now increase after the decision,” he added.
Another motorist, Abdur Rehman, said that given the massive inflation, the government should also take measures to increase the income of every citizen. “The situation speaks volumes about the negligence of the so-called people-friendly government, which let the CNG owners deal the public in their own way. The lone sufferers are the public,” said cab driver Mohammad Aftab, adding that several poor drivers were suffering due to the mounted prices of the CNG.
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