ISLAMABAD: The government has lifted the ban on new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) connections across the country.

The moratorium on fresh connections on local gas to the industrial sector was imposed in 2011 and the industry was given re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) connections. The move was welcomed by All Pakistan CNG Association Central Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha. In a statement, he hailed this decision saying it will give a new life to the CNG sector.

According to him, hundreds of completed CNG stations have been waiting for gas connection for years, which will start operations now through RLNG gas connections.

Promotion of CNG fuel will lead towards saving of around $1 billion annually on petroleum import bill and will help restrict air pollution in big cities.

Paracha said that this is another step towards permissions on new CNG stations licences in the country. “We expect that Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority will soon start working towards granting new CNG station licences on RLNG,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2019