PESHAWAR: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) held a demonstration in front of Peshawar Press Club to register a protest against imposition of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), which they dubbed as discriminatory and lethal for the industry.
Speaking on the occasion, APCNGA Provincial Chairman Fazl-e-Muqeem Khan said that increased GIDC had been imposed in the under-developed province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), while the GIDC of the past years of other sectors had been waived, which is discriminatory and unacceptable.
Central leader of APCNGA Ghiyas Paracha, Vice Chairman Khalil Khan, CEC member Haji Sajid, former central chairman Pervaiz Khattak, former provincial chairman Fayaz Khan, Haji Tahir of Swat, Jawad Khan from Nowshera, Zarif Khan of Charsadda and others were also present on the occasion.
Fazl-e-Muqeem Khan said that imposition of GIDC will bring price of CNG equal to petrol, which will result in closure of CNG business in the terror-hit province. He said that the GIDC is in violation of the constitutional rights of the province, which cannot be allowed as the industry cannot bear the burden.
The Peshawar High Court declared the GIDC as illegal on June 13, 2013 while the Supreme Court upheld the verdict last year on August 22, but the cess was made part of the law to increase deprivation, said the CNG association leader. He said that the government should resolve all issues of the CNG sector after consultation.
He asked the government and the FBR authorities to withdraw the decision; otherwise they would launch a countrywide protest sit-in.
