Amid pressure from CNG station owners, the federal government on Friday withdrew its decision to ban supply of CNG to vehicles of engine capacity above 1000cc.
According to reports, the caretaker prime minister decided to withdraw the decision following consultations by the Ministry of Law.
Officials of the Law Ministry maintained that the decision was against basic human rights. Moreover, the decision was difficult to implement across the country, they added.
It may be pointed out that the caretaker prime minister on Tuesday signed a summary sent by the Ministry of Petroleum to ban sale of CNG to vehicles above 1000cc citing severe shortage of natural gas.
The decision was immediately rejected by the CNG station owners’ associations across the country.
Earlier, the Law Ministry said the recent decision of caretaker PM Hazar Khan Khoso to ban vehicles of over 1000cc engine capacity from utilising CNG was illegal.
“Caretakers cannot make key changes, the decision was against the constitution and that every citizen has right over hydrocarbon resources,” the Law Ministry observed during a critical meeting on Friday.
The PM has issued an executive order after which the Petroleum Ministry asked OGRA to implement the decision and slap fine from Rs 50,000 to Rs 100,000 on CNG stations violating the orders.
It also asked ORGA to suspend licences of CNG stations if found violating orders persistently.
However, the Law Ministry said the caretakers were exceeding their authority by taking such important policy decisions.
Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, APCNGA chairman, welcomed the decision of the Law Ministry.
He said the decision was discriminatory and a result of collusion between Petroleum Minister Sohail Wajahat Siddiqui and all powerful captive power lobby.
Paracha said the Law Ministry had taken a decision based on merit.
Congratulations to all the nation, I hope to see the CNG provided to all the vehicles 7 days a week which will save lot of money for the government which government spend to import expensive oil and diesel from other countries.
Petrol and diesel is expensive and not environment friendly where as CNG is much cheaper and is very much environment friendly specially for Pakistan where we already have a very big population and have lot of pollution in the air. Hopefully by the end of 2014 we will have the gas supply from Iran and that will fix our major supply concerns.
CNG supply to every vehicle and for every user for all 7 days will improve all businesses and will bring lot of prosperity for all the Pakistani's.
Pakistan Zindabaad
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