ISLAMABAD/ LAHORE – After the government’s failure to convince the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) to continue the two-day gas curtailment, the association announced an indefinite strike across the country from 12 midnight today (Wednesday). The Petrol Retailers Association (PPRA) will also support this strike and will keep their petrol pumps closed in Lahore. APCNGA Supreme Council Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha told reporters that all CNG stations in Punjab would go on an indefinite strike from zero hours tonight until the fulfillment of their demand of complete restoration of gas supplies in the summer.
The Petroleum Ministry had convened a special meeting of the association in which the SNGPL MD was also called to sort out the differences but the talks failed. Paracha said the meeting remained inconclusive as there was no give and take and the government pressurised them to call off their strike. He said they demanded gas load shedding be shifted to those sectors which could run on alternate options as they had no other options expect gas.
He appealed to the president and the prime minister to resolve the issue, as there was no justification to continue with the gas load shedding during ummers.Meanwhile, in a series of meetings between the SSGC and the representatives of various CNG stations, it was decided that all CNG stations in Karachi, interior Sindh and Balochistan would remain closed from 12pm to 6am daily until April 15. The next closure of CNG stations would follow from April 18 to 22, the meeting decided.
