PESHAWAR, Oct 26: The CNG Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday accused the petroleum and natural resources ministry of misinterpreting the Supreme Court’s order for reduction in CNG price and said running business without collecting manufacturing cost was not possible for CNG station owners.

Addressing a news conference here at Peshawar Press Club, All Pakistan CNG Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zone, chairman Fazal Muqeem Khan said the association would move the Supreme Court on Nov 1 on the matter, while Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) would hold the first hearing into it on Tuesday (Oct 30).

Accompanied by members of the association, he thanked Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry for ordering cut in CNG price and declared the order a gift of judiciary for the people on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

He said the decision on CNG price decision should have been taken by OGRA three to four months ago.

Mr Fazal said the association accepted the court’s decision and therefore, CNG was being sold at the new price of Rs61.64 per kg in the region.

He said CNG price in the country was higher compared to other countries, where it was produced.

The CNG association chairman said the court had ordered reduction in the cost of CNG production but the government excluded it from CNG price.

He demanded OGRA inquiry into the matter and said exclusion of manufacturing cost was inflicting losses on CNG stations.

Mr Fazal said the association would continue selling CNG at the new rate until it approached Ogra and got a relief.

He said a ‘drama’ had been staged by certain lobbies against CNG station owners for three years.

Regarding the issue of manufacturing cost, he said CNG stations sold CNG and not natural gas.

“If the charging of manufacturing cost is illegal, then its collection by gas companies is also unjustified,” he said.

The CNG association chairman said the Supreme Court had directed the government for fixing CNG price in consultation with stakeholders but the government misinterpreted it and cut neither gas price nor GST.

He said CNG stations provided cheap fuel to people and helped arrest environmental pollution in the country.

“We will prove our rightful profit and justification of the manufacturing cost,” he said.