PESHAWAR, Jan 30: The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited has disconnected gas to filling stations in the city on Wednesday evening.

Sources said that gas supply was disconnected to 48 CNG stations of the total 68 in the city during a drive launched in the evening. The SNGPL, which supplies natural gas to Punjab, NWFP and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir had taken the decision to disconnect gas supply to the CNG stations to ensure its smooth supply to the domestic consumers.

The CNG stations, sources said, would remain closed for next 24 hours. On rotational basis, every CNG outlet would face closure every fifth day in NWFP, Punjab and parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

SNGPL deputy general manager Momin Khan told Dawn that they had received immediate directives to stop gas supply to the CNG stations. He didn’t elaborate further.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of the NWFP chapter of All Pakistan CNG Station Association criticised SNGPL for the move. Alif Khan, a member of the association, said that the public utility was facing a shortfall of 750 millioncubic feet, due to which it resorted to cut supply of gas to filling stations.

He said that the SNGPL had signed an agreement with the association that it would ensure smooth supply of gas to the stations round the year. He alleged that the SNGPL supplied gas to the industries at the cost of the CNG stations.