Gassed out: CNG businesses protest against disconnection of gas supply
Warn SNGPL, govt of province-wide protests if demands not met.
The SNGPL officials are trying to mint money by increasing gas quotas for other provinces, says a CNG station owner. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
FAISALABAD:
Scores of CNG station owners staged a demonstration on Friday against the closure of gas supply to their stations.
Threatening to expand their protest across the country, the protesters demanded that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) immediately restore supply to their stations.
The demonstrators gathered in front of the SNGPL regional office on Sargodha Road and staged a sit-in.
Traffic remained suspended on Sargodha Road for more than three hours.
Muhammad Rafiq, owner of a CNG station on Jhang Road, said that he had invested Rs3.5 million in the station and had hired 10 workers.
He said with the suspension of gas supplies, the workers were at the verge of losing employment. He said not only the employees, but his entire business was nearing collapse.
He alleged that SNGPL officials were trying to “mint money by increasing gas quotas for other provinces”.
Chaudhry said the situation could still be saved if the SNGPL managing director took notice of the discrimination against CNG stations in the Punjab.
He warned the SNGPL and the government of province-wide protests if their demands were not met.
He said the government should ensure that the SNGPL provided uninterrupted gas supply to all CNG stations in the Punjab and protect them (protesters) from loss and unemployment.
Anjum Niaz Chaudhry, the All Pakistan CNG Association regional chairman, led the protest. He said CNG station owners had invested millions of rupees in their businesses, which were giving them no return. He, too, accused the SNGPL of “hatching a conspiracy to ruin CNG businesses”.
Denying recent media reports that gas supply to CNG stations was stopped on the direction of the caretaker government, Chaudhry said there were some anti CNG station owners elements in the SNGPL that had stopped the supply.
The protesters dispersed after some SNGPL officials assured them that the matte would be taken up in front of their seniors in the next meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2013.
Scores of CNG station owners staged a demonstration on Friday against the closure of gas supply to their stations.
Threatening to expand their protest across the country, the protesters demanded that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) immediately restore supply to their stations.
The demonstrators gathered in front of the SNGPL regional office on Sargodha Road and staged a sit-in.
Traffic remained suspended on Sargodha Road for more than three hours.
Muhammad Rafiq, owner of a CNG station on Jhang Road, said that he had invested Rs3.5 million in the station and had hired 10 workers.
He said with the suspension of gas supplies, the workers were at the verge of losing employment. He said not only the employees, but his entire business was nearing collapse.
He alleged that SNGPL officials were trying to “mint money by increasing gas quotas for other provinces”.
Chaudhry said the situation could still be saved if the SNGPL managing director took notice of the discrimination against CNG stations in the Punjab.
He warned the SNGPL and the government of province-wide protests if their demands were not met.
He said the government should ensure that the SNGPL provided uninterrupted gas supply to all CNG stations in the Punjab and protect them (protesters) from loss and unemployment.
Anjum Niaz Chaudhry, the All Pakistan CNG Association regional chairman, led the protest. He said CNG station owners had invested millions of rupees in their businesses, which were giving them no return. He, too, accused the SNGPL of “hatching a conspiracy to ruin CNG businesses”.
Denying recent media reports that gas supply to CNG stations was stopped on the direction of the caretaker government, Chaudhry said there were some anti CNG station owners elements in the SNGPL that had stopped the supply.
The protesters dispersed after some SNGPL officials assured them that the matte would be taken up in front of their seniors in the next meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2013.