Potohar region, twin cities: Court orders restoration of gas supply to filling stations

Ruling came on a plea filed by 50 gas station owners.

ISLAMABAD:

A local court on Friday ordered restoration of gas supply to filling stations in the twin cities and the Potohar region.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) gave the ruling on a joint petition of around 50 filling-station owners who had challenged suspension of gas to the gas stations.

The court directed the government tom restore the previous schedule of gas supply to filling stations in the region.

The government has stopped gas supply to the industrial sector and gas stations in Punjab including the twin cities for three months from December to March to ensure uninterrupted supply to domestic consumers.

The owners, however, in their petition maintained that the government suspended supply to the gas stations without issuing any formal notification, which, according to them, was unfair.

The petitioners’ counsel informed the court that his clients were already facing hardships and the government decision has further compounded their problems.

He argued that a summary in this regard was pending before the prime minister for approval. He said that neither the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet was taken on board before suspending gas to the filling stations.

“How is it possible for the [gas station] owners to meet their expenses while their stations remain shut for three months,” he argued.

The counsel contended that earlier the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) provided gas to filling stations for three days a week, however, later it was curtailed to two days.

The sudden decision of the government to stop supply to gas stations is tantamount to “killing of thousands of workers who are associated with this business,” said the counsel. He maintained that despite facing harsh winter weather even the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has not suspended gas to its commercial and industrial consumers across the province. “Why the federal government should take a decision without the approval of the ECC and the prime minister.”



Meanwhile, All Pakistan CNG Association president Ghayas Paracha told The Express Tribune that owners of the filling stations had approached the court in their individual capacity.

A senior official in the SNGPL requesting anonymity said that it will not be possible for the government to continue supply to the gas stations in the peak winter season. “Provision of gas to domestic consumers is the top priority of the government,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2013.