Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) filling stations will remain open to ensure fuel supply to the residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi during the elections.
“The caretaker government has established a cell for this purpose”, a Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources official said.
He added that the cell would operate 24 hours a day and be functional May 7 onwards to coordinate the ministries of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Finance, Water and Power, SNGPL, SSGCL, OGDCL and PSO for an uninterrupted oil and gas supply.
He said that the members of the cell include the Petroleum additional secretary, Oil director general, Gas director general, PSO general manager, SNGPL general manager and the SSGCL chief manager.
However, the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) spokesperson said that the filling stations had not received any schedule or plan for continuous gas provision as yet.
He said that the association regularly met the relevant officials who had not done anything to alleviate the CNG sector’s issues.
He remarked that CNG outlets remained closed for 18 days a month, working partially for 12 days. “The government rejected all the association’s recommendations to address the energy crisis” he added.
According to him, these proposals would have added 1,500 MW to the system and made gas available 24/7 to the CNG, fertilizer and general industries.
He said that unlike the CNG sector, the other industries had alternatives fuels could store their produce.