LAHORE -The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have agreed in principle to alter CNG schedule for Punjab to provide relief to the masses.
Details would be hammered out in a meeting between APCNGA delegation and MD SSGC scheduled on Tuesday May 07.
In a statement issued here Saturday, Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council APCNGA said that we have informed the government that summer is not suitable for the provision of CNG from 10 am to 4 pm and that this schedule would become a problem for the masses during holy month of Ramadan. Moreover, the electric loadshedding has forced CNG operators to close their outlets for two to three hours daily which has created difficulties for them and the masses.
Ghiyas Paracha added that we have suggested altering the schedule so that CNG filling station can start providing fuel early in the morning or later at night so that people working at offices, drivers of school vans and people engaged in business of pick and drop could be facilitated.
APCNGA has also proposed different lines for public transport and private vehicles, provision of CNG to public service and privately owned vehicles on different days or contrasting time. Paracha said that CNG stations would continue to serve masses during power loadshedding if operators are allowed to run diesel generators which will have a little impact on price of fuel but uninterrupted supply would be ensured during specified hours.  Such a move by the government would reduce problems by half, he assured adding that we will not support opening of CNG stations from 6 pm to 10 pm as demand for electricity is at peak during that time while government also wants to conserve energy during this clock time.
 He said that masses are getting CNG seven days a week since April 01 which has reduced oil import bill and pollution and that the owners of commercial vehicles have benefitted the most.  The Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has been striving to accommodate all the gas-consuming sectors in the available resources and he is positive that LNG import would reduce gas shortfall, said Paracha.