LAHORE, Sept 22: The government has constituted a technical committee for recommending ways and means for converting all public transport into compressed natural gas (CNG). Petroleum and Natural Resources State Minister Nasir Mengal said here on Thursday that demand for energy was rising with expansion in economy, and the government wanted to meet load of expansion through the use of natural gas.

The government was having difficulty in meeting the energy import bill and conversion to gas could help it to a great extent, he said. The cabinet had recently discussed the issue and formed a committee to study the matter and made recommendations for quick conversion of public transportation.

The government, he said, had been able to reduce diesel burden substantially and wanted to do more in this regard. It was committed to develop infrastructure for the promotion of CNG, he said.