A court on Friday sought replies from the top official of Islamabad administration and two ministries, after a petition was filed challenging installation of multpile Compressed Natural Gas cylinders on public transport.
Earlier, Advocate Waqas Malik filed a writ petition over the “hazardous occurance” in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), also challenging the absence of a centralised public transport system in the city.
Taking action, Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi issued notices to the Islamabad chief commissioner, Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, Islamabad Traffic Police inspector general, secretary interior, Regional Transport Authority (RTA) secretary, Petroleum and Natural Resources secretary, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) chairman, and Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) director general and sought their replies within two weeks.
The petitioner maintained that the vehicle owners had installed multiple gas cylinders which is a dangerous practice and has taken many innocent lives.
He told the court that two or three gas cylinders on averyage had been fitted under the seats of these vehicles which presented a great danger to the passengers.
He said that on July 2011, 15 people were burnt alive when a CNG-cylinder in a van exploded in the Koral area.
Similarly, in Faisalabad and Khairpur, 28 people were burnt alive when a gas cylinder in a passenger van exploded.
Malik said that he had submitted an application before the Islamabad chief commissioner in August this year, but had still not received a response from him.
He requested the court to restrain the RTA from giving clearance to vehicles which had multiple gas cylinders installed.
He also prayed the court to direct the respondents to introduce an urban transport system in this city. After the preliminary hearing, the court issued notices and adjourned the case.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2011.
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