When practical steps are distant away, the gap is filled by lip-service.The government ministers have abundant reserves of empty words to pacify masses in crisis-like situations and keep the business of the government in operation. The recent petrol crisis have been over and the federal petroleum minister has absolved himself of any responsibility. After all he is a minister and cannot resign against the norms of prevailing system.
The government is now concentrating on importing natural gas from Iran as in the minister’s words, it is a cleaner and cheaper fuel which can be easily transported to any destination in the country. A network of Sui gas has already been in place throughout the country and Iranian gas will be linked to it. The government has decided to build a 700-kilometre Gwadar-Nawabshah pipeline and a protocol has already been signed with a Chinese firm to undertake the project. Energy is the prime need of the country to run economic and industrial activities, but the government has given a new deadline beyond three years to put newly generated electricity in the system and end load shedding.
The minister says that an LNG terminal will be set up in Gwadar and the first LNG shipment will reach on March 31 and will be provided to the compressed natural gas (CNG) sector as part of the government plan to develop energy mix in the country. According to the minister, the independent power producers will be persuaded to convert the system into LNG from diesel and furnace oil. However, the power producers will not be liable to get 100 percent LNG as the quantity of gas beyond their needwill be diverted to the CNG sector. However, the government is ensuring adequate stock and supply of diesel and furnace oil in the country.
The CNG sector has been allowed to import LNG and it will also reduce pressure on petrol stations.The petrol consumption has increased manifold as 40,000 a month come on roads. CNG will be 30 percent cheaper than petrol and government will ensure to keep the CNG stations open.The CNG sector will not be liable for gas infrastructure development cess and the sales tax will be kept at 5 percentlow instead of normal GST rate of 17 percent.
There is much ado about nothing. The government slogan of economy, economy and economy is practically missing on the real ground. There is a need totake steps to revitalise economy as lip-service and long statements by the ministers will serve no purpose.
