CNG body to shut down stations in Sindh, Karachi transporters call strike

Transporters protesting against the frequent closure of CNG stations in the city.

KARACHI: All Pakistan CNG Association announced a shutdown of all CNG stations across Sindh from December 30, while the Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) has called for a strike beginning from December 31 in protest against frequent CNG strikes in the city, reported Express News on Wednesday.

President KTI Irshad Bukhari said that efforts were being made to convert public transport vehicles over to diesel; however, such efforts would fail as the vehicles would continue to run on CNG.

It is still unclear till when the transport strike is going to last.

Due to the gas shortage, CNG stations in Karachi are frequently being shut down every week, bringing a halt to public transport as a majority of them have converted to CNG in the past.

Federal Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain had said that the government is considering shutting down CNG stations in Sindh for one month if the gap in demand and supply of gas continues.

According to experts, the rapid expansion of CNG stations - which consumes 11% of total gas - in the last decade has widened the gas demand-supply gap in the country.

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) management says the CNG stations are being closed to improve the line pack all over the company’s franchise area of Sindh and Balochistan, which has been badly disturbed due to heavy gas demand.