ISLAMABAD: It has become nothing short of torture for people in Pakistan to get CNG cylinders in their cars filled. When the CNG technology was first introduced in Pakistan, it was said to be a blessing for people, but with the passage of time, it turned into a curse because of the non-implementation of rules and laws.
According to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (Ogra) regulations, CNG is only allowed for 800cc vehicles but the long queues of buses, vans and HTV transport at CNG stations prove that the rules of Ogra are not being supervised by any authority which results in the shortage of CNG in all the four provinces. While travelling from Hyderabad to Kashmore a few days ago, I witnessed the silence of authorities over such lawlessness.
The CNG stations were declared open on July 1 and I was standing in a long queue to get CNG. After waiting for 20 minutes, the time ticked towards 8am and the CNG station was closed all of a sudden. When I inquired, I came to know that CNG was suspended without any notice. Somehow, I managed to continue my travel. During my journey up to Kashmore, I got CNG from some selected stations at an exorbitant price. There was no restriction seen at the CNG pump and business was going on without any accountability in spite of the sudden closure of CNG.
This was nothing new for me, but I kept thinking: the same problem is being faced by thousands of passengers travelling through Indus Highway.
Will Ogra bother to take action against selected CNG stations? I would request the ministry of petroleum and natural resources and all the authorities concerned to take legal action on the matter so that such corruption should be controlled.
Salar Lateef
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2014.
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