Punjab Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman has assured the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) that he will soon raise the issues of compressed natural gas (CNG) industry before the federal government and will try to get them resolved.
He stated this while talking to a delegation of APCNGA comprising representatives from all districts of Punjab and led by Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha.
Rehman told the delegation that he would leave no stone unturned to address the problems of CNG industry as early as possible.
Paracha pointed out that the government was facing a serious balance of payments crisis, which could be resolved within no time with the promotion/ use of CNG as an alternative fuel for motor vehicles.
He suggested that CNG as an alternative fuel could save foreign exchange of $2.1 billion annually in the fuel import bill. With the consumption of CNG, 50% reduction in public transport fares was also possible, while circular debt could be reduced by Rs1,500 billion, he added.
“CNG is an eco-friendly fuel and can minimise environmental pollution as carbon emissions will fall enormously.”
Furthermore, Paracha stressed, the revival and expansion of the CNG sector could generate thousands of new job opportunities, while the use of CNG in motor vehicles would have an environmental benefit of growing 152.6 million trees per annum.
He requested the governor to immediately restore gas supply to the CNG stations of Punjab that had been closed for the last seven months (December 7, 2021 to date) to save the public from the impact of rising oil prices in the international market.
He underscored that CNG was still cheaper than the prevailing petrol price and the CNG industry could provide 43% and 55% cheaper fuel to the motor vehicles in comparison with prices of petrol and diesel.
“This will provide immediate relief to the public if the government facilitates the CNG industry in purchasing gas.”
Later, the APCNGA delegation in a statement expressed their satisfaction over the meeting with the governor and hoped that the governor would get resolved the issues of the CNG industry soon.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2022.
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