Price reduction: 3 CNG stations sealed for violating SC order

One station was found selling CNG at the old price, the other two had refused to sell at the new rates.

MULTAN: Three CNG stations in south Punjab were sealed and their gas connections were cut for not following orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The court had earlier taken matters into its own hands and declared “illegal” the existing formula of linking the review of CNG prices with oil prices. Shortly after the announcement, the Oil and Gas Regulation Authority (Ogra) issued a notification reducing CNG prices by over a whopping Rs30 – a 33% slash.

General Manager Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Abdur Rasheed Arshad had issued a media notification that CNG stations found violating the orders would be sealed and gas connections would be suspended.

All stations boycotting the decision, covering premises with tents, selling CNG at old rates and not selling at new rates were included in this.

The sealed stations were located in Shah Rukn-e-Aalam Colony and near Vehari Square on Bahawalpur Road in Multan and one in district Muzaffargarh.

The first station was found selling CNG at the old price, the second and third had refused to sell at the new rates.

Arshad told The Express Tribune that the whole region was being monitored and a complaint centre had also been set up. No other cases have been reported from any district in south Punjab.