CNG closure further extended, heaping more miseries on motorists.

Byline: Aamir Shafaat Khan

KARACHI -- Hardships of consumers have further intensified as the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), which had announced opening of CNG stations at 8pm on Thursday, has extended the closure for another 24 hours, till Friday 8pm.

The SSGCL had informed owners of gas stations on Thursday evening regarding decrease of gas supply in the system.

On Wednesday, vehicles had queued up outside gas stations before their opening at 8pm, but after 20 minutes, the SSGCL informed station owners of shutting down gas supply for another 24 hours till 8pm Thursday.

However some pump owners decided to open their pumps at 8pm and several vehicles were able to successfully fill their gas cylinders, but by 11pm the CNG stations were forced to close their stations. People waiting in queues lost their patience over the closure resulting in law and order situation at various pumps.

'In the last 11 days (264 hours), pumps have sold CNG for maximum 30 hours,' coordinator of Sindh Zone of the All Pakistan CNG Association Samir Najmul Hassan said.

He claimed that the SSGCL had been facing a loss of Rs100 million per day due to closure of CNG stations in Sindh which consumed 64mmcfd of gas.

The federal government would also lose revenue in terms of various taxes.

He agreed that some 50 per cent of CNG stations had forcefully opened their outlets from 8pm to 11pm on Wednesday night, but they could not sustain further as SSGCL teams had shut down valves at pumps and turned off valves on Thursday morning with the help of police. Later, the valves were opened.

Mr Samir claimed that CNG was 30 per cent cheaper than petrol in running vehicles which still attracted rickshaw and transport owners mainly.

A SSGCL official, who asked not to be named, said the company had not disconnected gas supply to those pumps which were open after 8pm on Wednesday night.

He said the company had warned station owners over continuing sale of gas during shutdown period and legal action would be taken as per law against them.

He said the company's gas system still faced with a shortfall as gas supply from Kadenwari and Naimetbasel gas fields was still suspended while there was some improvement in gas supply from Kunarpasakhi.

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