As the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) warned the government it would go on an indefinite strike and a countrywide civil disobedience movement in protest against the proposed 69 percent hike in the CNG prices, Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain on Monday assured the dealers that a 40 percent difference in petrol and CNG price would be maintained while increasing the gas tariff.
Addressing a press conference, APCNGA President Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said the federal minister invited them for talks where it was agreed that the CNG rate would be kept 40 percent less than the petrol price, thus maintaining the 60:40 ratio. Asim had announced last week that in a move to tackle the natural gas shortage, they had recommended the government to enhance the CNG price by 69 percent in the first phase to bring it from the present level of 40 percent to 65 percent of the petrol price.
It was proposed that the CNG price should be gradually brought to 85 percent level of the petrol. On the other hand, NNI reported that Asim also agreed to a weekly two-day closure of CNG station in the Northern Region with a partial shutdown on the third day, whereas there would be a one-day off and partial shutdown on the second day in the south.
