LAHORE/KARACHI, Jan 7: The All Pakistan CNG Association announced on Monday a schedule of protests as “the last option” against an “engineered gas crisis” threatening over 400,000 jobs in the sector.

APCNGA supreme council chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said protest was the “last option to protect our rights at a time when the whole sector is being victimised by a few due to the absence of a CNG policy”.

He said the transport sector had been badly hit, leaving millions insecure while adding to the miseries of people.

He said almost all CNG stations had been lying closed for the last two and a half months, leaving the machinery to rust and jeopardising an investment of over Rs400 billion.

He urged the president and prime minister to intervene to save the investments and provide relief to people.

Mr Paracha alleged that the latest pricing formula had been prepared in violation of all rules, regulations and norms and the gas prices and taxes had not been reduced as demanded.

He said the CNG sector was entirely dependent on gas supply but the fuel was being supplied to other sectors which had other options available for energy.

“The CNG sector consuming seven per cent of gas is being victimised systematically, while those involved in gas theft to the tune of 14 per cent are being encouraged,” he said.

The APCNGA leader said those who had always blamed the CNG sector for consuming too much gas should tell the nation why there was no gas available for domestic consumers during the period when the CNG stations had been closed.

“Nation must know where all the gas is flowing now,” he said, adding that “in the current situation we have no option but to take to the streets for the acceptance of our demands.

He said a protest rally would be held on Tuesday afternoon at Faizabad in Rawalpindi and another in Karachi at Civic Lawn, opposite the SSGC head office which would be followed by a press conference. Demonstrations will also be held in Lahore and Faisalabad.

The association appealed to the CNG dealers and the general public to join the protest.