LAHORE - The CNG stations remained closed on Sunday the seventh consecutive day following the call of CNG Association in protest against reduction in gas price by the authorities after the Supreme Court’s decision.
The majority of CNG stations owners on Sunday kept their outlets closed to mount pressure on the government to withdraw its decision of lowering prices, adding to commuters’ woes. Long queues of vehicles were witnessed outside only few CNG stations which were opened to provide gas to motorists. An owner of the car said it was very disgusting process to get one,s vehicles filled with gas.
He said: “I am here to get gas for the last two hours but still there are five vehicles ahead of my car”. Another motorist Nawazish Ali said that he was succeeded to get gas from a CNG station after waiting of two and half hours. He said that due to failure of electricity gas pressure of the outlet was lowering and to maintain pressure it takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Due to the extended closure of CNG stations, commuters and private transport owners faced severe problems. People, while expressing their anguish said that ‘CNG mafia’ is earning huge profits and still not giving any relief to the public, and are adamant on adding to their miseries. The stations owners had said that it was not viable for them to sell the CNG at low prices fixed by the Ogra as it was causing huge financial loss to them.
The CNG stations were supposed to reopen on last Thursday after three-day closure under the gas load management plan. But controversy between CNG association and Ogra remained unsolved. Poor citizens running their vehicles for pick and drop of school children had to push their vehicles again and again since they had not so much fuel to start their vehicles after every four to five minutes. Some of such owners were of the view that they have to take their meal while sitting in their vehicles. Some of them park their vehicles on the CNG stations on Wednesday night to get gas early on Thursday morning.
People present in queues also complained about low gas pressure. Commuters and private motorists also faced trouble as long queues at the few opened CNG stations causing delays and traffic jams in several areas.
While office-bearers of All Pakistan CNG Association Punjab were of view that no businessman wants to sell his product on loss and only those owners opened their stations, who were ready to bear loss or were unable to face the pressure.