THE Nawaz Sharif government came out of its deep slumber all of a sudden by reducing petrol prices in the wake of its fall in the international market.

The government has showed ‘generosity’ towards the poor public twice in this regard. Now there are reports that there might be a further Rs10 reduction in petrol prices from February as fuel prices are plummeting day by day in the international market.

Now if that happens, the price of petrol will be Rs69 per litre. Interestingly, the current CNG price per kilo is Rs71 in Sindh; which means if there is a further slump in price, it will be two rupees cheaper than CNG. I am not surprised at the government’s silence on this matter. It is like asking a thief to voluntarily surrender to the police. But I am certainly shocked at the public’s lack of response.

When CNG was introduced by the government in the early 2000s, it was done on an understanding that it will always be available at half of the petrol price. Petrol then was about Rs60 per litre and subsequently CNG was available at Rs36 per kilo.

I now demand that if petrol is sold at Rs69, then CNG must not be more than Rs35 per kilo. Even if there is no further decrease in petrol price, CNG must be sold at no more than Rs40.

Abdul Mateen

Karachi

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2015

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