ISLAMABAD, April 8: The prospect of a massive wheel-jam strike seems to have been averted as the CNG association is ready to consider an offer made by petroleum minister to allocate gas quota for all the CNG stations – the offer if made applicable would help end the weekly CNG loadshedding.
After the offer both parties are looking for a successful round of negotiations to start from Tuesday. Meanwhile, Chairman All Pakistan CNG Association Ghiyas Paracha welcomed the move made by the minister that would help end gas loadshedding for the CNG sector and said it was a positive gesture to break the deadlock.
“Though details are yet to be conveyed, the initial reports suggest it to be a good decision for consumers too as the stations would be operating throughout the week,” Mr Paracha hoped.
However, he said it would take some time to be implemented as there were 3,500 CNG stations in the country which needed a lengthy file work to accumulate the data.
It comes at a time when the CNG sector and the transporters have almost finalised plans to launch a massive strike across Punjab against unavailability of CNG and the recent increase in its rates.
Talking to Dawn from Lahore petroleum minister Dr Asim Hussain explained that all the CNG stations would individually be given a quota based on their average monthly consumption of the past one year.
“This will help end the fixed loadshedding and all CNG station will be free to consume their quota of gas whenever and however it suits them,” Dr Asim said adding that the stations consuming gas exceeding their fixed quota would have to pay double thetariff for that amount of CNG sold.
The major benefit of the formula is that all the stations will operate business as per their clientele and the stations in same locality can even divide load amongst themselves to serve the consumers while staying within their quota.
“The complaints of the sudden pressure drop when the CNG stations reopen after loadshedding days will also end,” Dr Hussain added.
Other than quota allocation, the talks between the CNG association and the petroleum ministry will focus mainly on the recent increase in the CNG rates.
An official of the petroleum ministry told Dawn the government was planning to propose a further drop of up to Rs4 but Mr Paracha insisted they wanted a complete withdrawal of recent hike.