KARACHI: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) urged the government to allocate 50mmcfd to the CNG sector till the commencement of private liquefied natural gas (LNG) import for compressed natural gas (CNG) sector, a statement said.
APCNGA Group Leader Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said that he wanted to present this plan before the incumbent government to save around $2.1 billion annually under the head of fuel import bill and to provide massive relief to the general public in the form of 50 per cent cut in the public transport fares.
“Revival and expansion of the CNG sector can generate thousands of new employment and job opportunities while the use of CNG as an alternative fuel for motor vehicles is equivalent to having an environmental benefit of 152.63 million trees/annum,” he added.
According to Paracha, the CNG is 10.4 per cent cheaper than the price of gasoline in the country despite the government giving subsidies on petrol price and has fixed the petroleum levy and general sales tax at zero level.
He also said that the government can save around Rs419.87 billion with the import of 300mmcfd LNG to the country and CNG can be cheaper by 18.63 per cent than the current gasoline price.
“The general public can get a significant 50 per cent relief in fares with the use of CNG as a fuel in the public transport,” Paracha said.
The APCNGA group leader said that the private sector can be helpful in reducing the deficit only if it is allowed to bring LNG for the CNG sector and utilise the unused LNG terminal capacity.
“We assure the government that positive change can be brought within no time if the private sector is given timely support and cooperation by the government,” Paracha added.
The APCNGA chief demanded the government to grant permission to use the surplus (private) terminal capacity of LNG terminal and authorisation for utilising the unused contracted terminal regasification capacity of the LNG terminal.
Similarly, all provincial chief secretaries and transport secretaries should be directed to encourage the owners and transporters to convert their public service vehicles to the environment friendly and cheaper CNG fuel.
APCNGA Central Chairman Samir Gulzar said that the total 2,300 CNG stations were established across the country with an investment of approximately Rs350 billion, out of which 1,100 stations are located in Punjab, 600 stations are situated in Sindh and 575 stations are operating in Balochistan province.
He said around 50 per cent of the total CNG stations of Punjab have suspended their operation due to non-availability of gas.
Gulzar said that Rs150 billion investment made in developing CNG kits has been facing serious threat due to the closure of CNG stations and non-availability of gas as a fuel for motor vehicles.
The direct and indirect employment in the CNG sector is 510,000, while the total gas consumption required by the entire CNG sector is 400mmcft, he added.
The Coordinators of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Fazal Muqeem and Hazara region Khalid Latif, Vice Chairman Sindh Samir Najmul, Potiohar region Coordinator Sajjad Hyder and APCNGA Executive Council Member Chaudhry Salah ud Din were also present on the occasion.
