ISLAMABAD: A petition challenging the government decision on forced conversion of their gas connections on Re-gasified Liquid Natural Gas (RLNG) by 21 eateries of Rawalpindi in the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Friday.

The restaurants as well as the All Rawalpindi Restaurants Association filed the petition through its counsel Imran Shafiq.

The petitioners contended that they are regularly paying the gas bills but the SNGPL decided to convert their connection to RLNG which would increase their cost fourfold.

The petition said that the issue involved here is the unilateral imposition of new commercial consumer contract i.e. the RLNG Contract, and the decision of the company’s authorities to disconnect the supply of gas on the premises on failure of signing of the proposed new contract.

It said that the petitioners were taken aback when notices were received on Oct 27 and 28 wherein on the pretext of shortage of gas for upcoming winters, the indigenous gas supply tariff is being replaced with RLNG Tariff, and the petitioners have been directed to sign and execute the RLNG Contract with the SNGPL, practically having the effect of unilaterally terminating the earlier approved and executed contract of commercial gas supply.

The petitioners have further been directed to execute the contract within just 2 days, i.e. on or before Oct 31, otherwise, the gas supply connection on the premises will be forcibly disconnected.

The notices nowhere stipulate that under what authority of law, they have been issued. The petitioners being aggrieved of the impugned notices, seek indulgence of the court, said the petition.

The petitioners requested the court to set aside the SNGPL’s directives. It further prayed that the SNGPL may be restrained till disposal of the petition.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2022