CHAKWAL: Residents of Chakwal on Monday held a protest outside Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) offices against inflated gas bills.

The protesters blocked the Chakwal-Rawalpindi Road. They had with them their bills for January and chanted slogans against the PTI government.

“I am a welder and I hardly make Rs20,000 a month but they charged me Rs56,000 for gas,” said Mohammad Anwar, adding that he did not have a water boiler or a heater in his house.

Another protestor, who came from the Jhatla Village, said he had received a bill of Rs28,000 when his bill the month before was Rs250.

“I am a daily wage labourer. How can I pay such a huge bill,” he said.

Mohammad Hussain, a driver who earns between Rs600 and Rs700 a day has to pay a gas bill of Rs25,000 this month while a resident of Anwarabad, Amir Taimur said his gas bill was Rs24,000 when his bill used to be between Rs1,000 and Rs3,000.

Chakwal Municipal Committee member, PML-N’s Khalid Butt criticised the PTI government’s policies and said the government is eliminating the poor instead of poverty.

The protesters dispersed when SNGPL officials assured them their bills will be checked again.

SNGPL Executive Engineer Arsalan Malik told Dawn there has been an increase in gas tariff.

“The rate of one unit was Rs620 which has now been increased to Rs1,460,” he said, and that pamphlets were delivered to consumers in which they were told about the increased tariff and how to use gas rationally, but consumers continue to use gas as they did before.

“Most people use compressors in their homes which suck gas in large quantity,” he said.

Mr Malik said special teams have been set up which will recheck meters and a billing officer will arrive in Chakwal on Tuesday from Rawalpindi to look into bills.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2019