New directives from the prime minister bar providing CNG to cars over 1000cc. PHOTO: FILE
The step was taken to ensure a steady gas supply to domestic consumers and industries.
The interim prime minister said if any CNG pump station violated the order, it would be fined Rs50,000.
If the violation is repeated, the CNG station will have to pay Rs100,000 as fine. In case of the violation is repeated for a third time, the CNG pump station will be sealed for at least six months.
Acute shortage of gas supply was cited as the reason for the move.
The directive will impact a large section of private vehicles which are over 1000cc.
New CNG closure schedule in Sindh
Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) management on Tuesday rescheduled the CNG closure programme for the current week.
Gas supply to all CNG stations in Sindh region will be suspended from Thursday (May 23) 800 a.m for 48 hours instead of Friday (May 24) as announced earlier.
"The CNG stations will remain closed from 8am on Thursday till 8am on Saturday," said an SSGC announcement on Tuesday.
The step is being taken due to short supply of gas from different fields, the announcement said.
These decisions, after being vetted by the Ministry of Law, will come into force on May 25th, 2013.
These instructions shall not be applicable on public transport as defined in West Pakistan Public Transport Act 1961.
APCNGA rejects CNG plan
Meanwhile, the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) rejected ministry of petroleum and natural resources’ plan to suspend gas supply to CNG outlets for six days under the garb of maintenance of plants at Qadirpur gas field.
The decision to bar CNG outlets from business from May 21 to May 27 will take toll on masses and businesses therefore this decision cannot be accepted, said APCNGA Supreme Council chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, he said that the decision of the caretaker minister petroleum is based on enmity with masses and corruption. Why the maintenance wasn't carried out during normal weather and initiated now when people are dying of heat.
He claimed that closing supply from the gas field will result in a shortfall of 400 mmcfd which should have been distributed on merit among the gas consuming sectors but CNG and power sectors have been chosen while the influential sectors including captive power plants have been spared. He said that CNG sector which was already facing wrath of the policy makers will be unable to bear the brunt of decision as it has no other alternative like other sectors.
Paracha said that the petroleum ministry has been trespassing on the authority of Ogra which should be noticed by the incoming government.
COMMENTS (10)
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Very good decision if it is implemented. www,royal-bux.com
The way I see, it is a malpractice of government to suck every penny out of common people's pocket. They are collecting at least Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 per liter as tax on petrol and diesel. I won't mind if they reduce taxes and ask us to use fuel instead of CNG. But in Pakistan government don't ask, it forces its policy. And on CNG we are paying Rs. 10 at least cess tax, which is supposed to be used for GAS exploration and infrastructure development but it is either going into pockets of goverment or CNG owners.
So, chill and enjoy the weather or fight for your rights.
this country is moving back to dark ages, or medieval times.. on all fronts...
Good decision.
@Padishah: Totally agreed. Irony is, we've had short term planners. Natural resources should be used strategically in such a way that it should benefit masses.
@Syed A. Mateen: Impressive. If a country declares war on pakistan, care taker prime minister should not exceed his power. I know you have religiously followed print and electronic media. Did you bother reading the constitution at all? The PM merely signed the recommendations of a legit govt. department.
ban CNG, cause a poor has motorcycle, which runs on petrol and the affluent have cars which run on CNG.
Ban CNG permanently. We need gas for power generation and industry not for driving Lur Lur on roads.
The care-taker Prime Minister is exceeding from his powers and limits by banning private CNG vehicles and NOT of the government vehicles.
It is the prerogative of the new and incoming National Assembly and NOT of the care-taker Prime Minister or the care-taker government whose main job, as time and again, it has been said on the electronic and print media that the first and the foremost job of care-taker government is to hold free, fair and transparent election, which was the only mandate given to care-taker government fir a short oerio of time and NOT to make long term decisions.
Pakistan should seriously consider using horses, carriages and donkeys for transport, and lanterns and oil wicks for lighting.