CNG sector made scapegoat for inefficient, mismanaged power sector

KARACHI: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Saturday criticized the move of the government to shut down all the CNG stations in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab which has left tens of thousands of workers jobless.
The action was taken to favour the power sector known for malpractices, mismanagement and incompetence to become a huge liability for the country, it alleged in a press statement. The government continues to ignore reforms in the inefficient power sector and reward it through different controversial moves but the circular debt has not reduced and increased to unmanageable levels, said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Central Chairman APCNGA.  He said that CNG has not been subjected to such maltreatment during the last twenty years and now it has been closed in the summer while earlier it used to experience brief closures in winter only.
Ghiyas Paracha said, “We reject the decision to close the CNG sector in two provinces; it is frequently deprived of natural gas while it is permitted to import gas so that it can crumble which will never be allowed.”
He said that CNG is not only keeping the environment clean and ensuring economical transport to the poor masses but it is also paying the highest taxes and highest tariff for gas on advance payment basis but it still faces conspiracies.
It is the only sector that runs without government subsidy, it also braves the burden of subsidies to other sectors but it faces the wrath of the policymakers which is beyond comprehension.
He said that the government should put its house in order before helping private power companies like K-Electric on the cost of other sectors. The government should take note of the step-motherly attitude towards the CNG sector and take action against those who are conspiring against it, he demanded.