KARACHI: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA), Sindh zone, and Karachi Transport Ittehad staged a protest sit-in outside the Sui Southern Gas Association (SSGC) head office on Monday, the first 24-hour CNG closure of the week.

The protesters, mostly stakeholders, wanted a solution to the combined 48-hour CNG station closures, which are extended further unscheduled by SSGC citing emergencies.

APCNGA Chairman Shabbir Sulemanjee said the SSGC’s loadshedding of 48 hours was unacceptable as it caused hardship to the public because the majority of public transport had converted to CNG. And then the SSGC kept changing its own closure schedule by declaring emergencies on a regular basis and harassing the public and stakeholders further.

They asked the SSGC to stick to their alternate day closure schedule of three days a week. They also asked them to consider opening the CNG stations after 8pm on days of closure. During the protest, three stakeholders fainted in the heat and had to be taken to hospital.

SSGC PRO Inayatullah Ismail said the gas utility had noted down the stakeholders’ suggestions. “Yes, they have grievances and we have noted down their suggestions but they, too, should understand our problem. The gas shortfalls happen due to drops in pressure whenever there is an issue at any gas field. Then our domestic consumers are our priority. After them we have the power sector, too, to supply the gas to,” he said.

The protest was wrapped up after the stakeholders’ meeting with the senior management of the SSGC.

Meanwhile, SSGC announced that all CNG stations in Sindh would remain closed for 24 hours each on Wednesday and Friday.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2015

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