ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association (APCNGA) Central Chairman Shuja Anwar, addressing a press conference, has said the CNG sector has been intentionally closed for the last five months in Punjab, which has hit the owners and labours badly.
Shuja Anwar said that government has restored supply of natural gas to all sector but CNG as weather has normalised which has left us with no option but to opt for protests. He said that every person in country has a right to operate any business but our basic rights have been snatched forcing many owners into bankruptcies while tens of thousands have been left unemployed.
Shuja said that CNG sector has helped government a lot to transform import of LNG into a reality therefore we deserve support on merit. CNG industry operated for 17 percent of the time in 2014 in Punjab replacing 1.28 billion litres of petrol, he said, adding that 100 percent operation would have saved Rs3.77 billion of precious foreign exchange while supporting environment and poor commuters.
The leader of the CNG sector said that on one hand gas utilities are harassing CNG operators while on the other authorities have pushed us to the wall putting CNG industry in unprecedented trouble.
Issuing a one-week deadline for resumption of supply of natural gas to the Punjab CNG sector, he said that after that we would be free to launch massive protests and take to the streets.
He said that depriving Punjab’s CNG industry of gas is highly unfortunate therefore the CNG operators facing the wrath of authorities should be immediately compensated.
Other APCNGA leaders Abdul Basit, Zulqar Hussain, Munir Asghar, Athar Awan, Naveed, Fahim and others were also present on the occasion.
