The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday suspended the federal government’s notification of CNG load shedding, terming gas closure a violation of the fundamental rights of the people and gas pump owners.
The federal government started CNG load shedding under the gas load management plan for 550 gas stations in Punjab. While issuing the verdict, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah expressed disappointment over the actions of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), and its three-day weekly load shedding of CNG in Punjab. The court also issued a notice to the federal government, OGRA, and the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines limited (SNGPL), and sought reply on the matter.
The court passed the order on 22 identical petitions filed by the owners of CNG stations who challenged the three-day gas outage. The petitioners stated that the common public as well as the families of the individuals associated with the CNG business were facing financial difficulties due to closed business for three consecutive days. The petitioners’ counsel Mansoor Usman Awan said SNGPL officials had stopped gas supply to the CNG stations of the petitioners under load management policy from March 3.
He submitted that the action was taken on the basis of a notification issued by the SNGPL on March 2 which ordered disconnection of gas to the CNG stations which had a nine-month contract (as and when available basis) from March 3 until further orders. The counsel contended that the notification was against the constitution and the law. The court, after hearing his arguments, suspended the notification to the extent of petitioners, and sought reply from the respondents.
LHC suspends CNG load shedding notification
