Wagon owners announce to rebel against govt’s directive
Several private wagon owners, who provided pick and drop services to students, observed a strike on Friday to protest against the government’s decision to remove CNG cylinders from their vehicles and paint their vans yellow causing inconvenience to several parents and children.
Due to the strike, many students failed to attend their schools. Some of the students took rickshaw or taxis to reach their institution while majority of them were accompanied to school by their parents on cars and motorcycles.
The parents were of the view that they would face difficulties in the future if the transporters continued their strike and increased the fares. On the other hand, if they continue using CNG, the wagons will be dangerous for their children. Transporters termed the government’s decision unwise and unprecedented and refused to follow any of their orders.
According to them, it will be very difficult for transporters to remove CNG cylinders and ply their vehicles on petrol. Even if they obey the orders and use petrol, it will surely put a financial burden on them and on poor parents. Some of the transporters said the government should withdraw its decision or implement it even on private car owners who had installed CNG cylinders. Traffic police have given more time to the wagon owners according to which restriction on CNG and LPG driven vans will be levied from September 4.
APCNGA wants govt to withdraw ban
All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Friday criticised the decision of Sindh government to ban CNG cylinders in school vans terming it against the directives of the Supreme Court and encroachment upon the powers of federal government.
The decision is illegal and based on mala fide intentions as a bid to hide incompetence of transport and traffic authorities. The federal government has allowed CNG kits in all private and transport vehicles but the provincial government has taken a decision which will benefit petrol mafia, said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha.
In a statement issued on Friday, he said that dozens of countries were promoting CNG, the cheapest and safest fuel, which also helps governments cut oil import bill but here the situation was different. He said that CNG cylinders were very safe and not a single incident of CNG cylinder blast had been recorded in the history of Pakistan. All incidents were result of illegal use of LPG cylinders in vehicles, faulty fittings or use of faulty, substandard and welded cylinders in vehicles, he added.
Ghiyas Paracha said that traffic and transport authorities must come forward to take blame for the incidents which were result of their negligence. He said Ogra had also declared CNG cylinders safe and LPG cylinders unsafe, therefore both should not be treated at par.
The leader of the CNG sector said that CNG was being used in public transport on the directives of Supreme Court which could not be violated. The CNG operators would protest if the illegal decision was not taken back immediately, he warned.
