ISLAMABAD: Nanbai associations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday staged protest against increased gas tariff.

Holding gas bills in their hands, scores of representatives of the two associations gathered here in front of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) offices to press the government for reviewing the gas tariff issue.

The protesters said that in November last year after protests of Nanbai Associations, Ogra had set Rs700 tariff rate, but Sui Northern Gas Pipelines still charging Rs980 tariff, which is an injustice to them.

Speaking to Dawn, President Capital Nanbai Welfare Association Sajjad Ali Abbasi said as per Ogra’s notification, SNGPL was supposed to reducing tariff charges, but it was paying no heed to the plight of Nanbais and directive of Ogra.

The protesters said that next week they were going to stage massive protest in front of Parliament House to press the government for implementation of Ogra orders.

Asked if SNGPL is not complying with Ogra’s orders, then why protest was staged in front of its offices, he said that in the November’s notification, the Ogra had also made a “clerical” mistake, which had provided a chance to SNGPL to linger on the issue.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2019