ISLAMABAD, Oct 22: A welcome news for everyone: the government has decided not to have CNG loadshedding during the Eid holidays.

After the decision by the ministry of petroleum, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) will be available to consumers in Potohar, including Islamabad on Friday and Saturday, which are the loadshedding days in the region.

The transporters and consumers have expressed a sigh of relief, as a massive movement of small loading vehicles and private cars is expected on Friday, a day prior to Eid.

“This is a good decision because we can manage without CNG on Thursday with the cylinder filled on Wednesday but Friday would have been trouble,” said Malik Muhammad Hussain, driver and owner of a pickup vehicle.

He is excited at the prospect of profiting as sacrificial animals in the coming days would be moving back and forth.

“With petrol hovering at Rs100 per litre, it is just not feasible,” said Malik complaining. “We cannot pass on all the fuel cost to the customers as they too have affordability limitations – so we have to cut costs to manage profits.”

Similarly, private vehicle owners have also expressed happiness over the decision: “There is a lot of local movement before Eid, related to purchase of animals and by Eid there would have been no CNG in the cylinder to distribute meat or visit relatives,” said Muhammad Azhar, a resident of Rawalpindi.

While those planning to go to their native areas for Eid would be able to travel on CNG on Friday.

The CNG Association has expressed gratitude to the petroleum ministry for accepting their request to reduce the loadshedding, during Eid days.

However, the CNG station owners have expressed suspicions that the petroleum ministry might cut gas to the CNG sector on any other day, next week, to cover-up for the gas supplied during Eid.

“Last time too the SNGPL did not allow CNG sale on the first day after Eid holidays,” said a CNG station owner in Rawalpindi, “This creates a more serious situation, because vehicles are lined up and controlling them becomes difficult.”

However, talking to Dawn, the advisor to the prime minister on petroleum Dr Asim Hussain said that there is no such plan to cut CNG sales on any alternative day.