CNG price hike: OGRA, petroleum ministry issued notices

Petition challenges hike, calls it a human rights violations.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the petroleum ministry and the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on a petition challenging the recent hike in the price of compressed natural gas (CNG).

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan issued notices to the respondents and sough their replies before adjourning.

Advocate Kowkab Iqbal’s in his petition challenged the recent Rs11.98 per kilogram increase in CNG prices, which the petitioner stated is in violation of Article 9 of the Constitution, which guarantees the security of a person, including life and liberty.

He contended that due to the increase in CNG prices, the common man will further suffer under the burden of inflation. He informed the court that after the prices of CNG increase, the prices of almost all daily-use commodities are increased, compounding the effect on citizens. Kowkab said that petroleum prices were already high in the country and people have no option but to use CNG.

“The increase is a grave violation of the fundamental human rights guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan,’’ he added. He requested the court to restrain the government and declare the increase null and void.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4^th, 2012.