ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday dismissed contempt petitions filed by 532 CNG filling stations against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) for failing to supply them gas for 72 hours a week.

CNG filling stations in their petitions took the plea that the SNGPL had flouted the court’s order, allowing gas supply to the filling stations for three consecutive days a week. The government had suspended gas supply to CNG stations to offset the shortage for domestic consumers last December .

IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, however, suspended the notification on December 20 and decided the case in favour of the CNG stations.

After gas pressure improved, the government and CNG associations reached an accord, according to which, the government has been supplying gas to CNG stations six hours daily and for 18 hours on Sundays since April 1.

The petitioners from Islamabad, Rawalpindi and its surroundings areas said that the new schedule had reduced their working hours from 72 to 54 which was against the IHC order passed in December last year.

Counsel for the SNGPL Hafeezullah and Mohammad Altaf said that the new gas load management plan was devised with the consent of All Pakistan CNG Stations Association (APCNGA).

After hearing from both sides, Justice Shaukat Aziz Sidiqui said the SNGPL had not violated the court order and the CNG station should stick to 54-hour a week schedule.