CNG holiday to resume next week

LAHORE: The one-day CNG closure will recommence from next Tuesday as the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has withdrawn the temporary relief it provided to offset the effect of petrol shortages during the floods.

The SNGPL will also suspend gas supply to the CNG stations in the Punjab and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa (KP) for three days – September 14, 15 and 18 – due to the closure of Qadirpur gas fields.

The CNG stations in the Punjab and KP which had been observing a weekly day-off were relieved by the SNGPL some two weeks ago when it announced to ensure uninterrupted gas supply till August 31.The decision was taken in the wake of the petrol shortage caused by the inundation of Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO) and inter-city roads’ network.

The CNG station owners have criticised the decision. They say that petrol is still not readily available in most parts of the province. The consumers too have shown displeasure stating that the day-off will once again increase their fuel bill.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ghayas Abdullah Paracha, the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) chairman, said that the CNG station owners had heaved a sigh of relief when the SNGPL announced that it would ensure uninterrupted gas supply. He argued that the SNGPL should not suspend gas for three days after the Eid, “We were relieved for two Tuesdays and now the SNGPL has announced that it would suspend supply for three days. That’s not fair.”

Raja Anwer, the APCNGA’s Punjab chapter chairman, said that the SNGPL would face a shortfall of 400MMCF in the wake of the closure of Qadirpure gas fields. The CNG sector, he said, counted for less than five per cent of the national consumption but was being asked to remain closed for three days. “The SNGPL will not be able to meet the shortfall by suspending gas supply to CNG stations for three days,” he maintained.

The consumers complained that petrol was still short and the resumption of gas holidays would compound their problems. “September 14 will be the first working day after Eid break,” said Sadeed Ather, a banker.

He said that CNG closure for two consecutive days would mean a lot of expenditure on petrol.

“Eid shopping has already squeezed my budget for September. Now the increased spending on petrol will make the problems worse,” said Habib Ahmed, a businessman. He said that the authorities should not close CNG stations after the Eid break for longer than one day.

Published in The Express Tribune September 5^th, 2010.