Using satellite imaging, air quality of different countries of the world was compared and surprisingly it was found that the air quality of Pakistan has improved, while the air quality of other developing nations deteriorated over two decades. This was mainly due to the use of CNG across Pakistan for road transport, as CNG produces very little air pollution, as compared to petrol and diesel fuel.
The people of Pakistan have used their own resources to establish a CNG sector, with fuel stations and CNG kits used in automobiles of different sizes. The government of Pakistan had also done a great job to regulate this industry and keeping the CNG rate low compared to petrol and diesel, which had not only helped maintain high safety standards, it had also helped convince the public to invest in an expensive CNG kit for their cars.
As Pakistan was facing acute shortage of natural gas in the past few years, therefore there has been a pressure to reduce natural gas supply to CNG sector and divert it to the industrial sector, even though the CNG sector provides a higher return to the government of Pakistan. The government has used many tactics to divert people to petrol and diesel use, which includes raising prices of CNG, reducing CNG station operation days etc, but the people of Pakistan are still willing to wait in long queues at CNG filling stations.
But now with the arrival of cheap RLNG and considering the environmental benefits of CNG, I think that the present government of Pakistan should promote the use of CNG across Pakistan. PSO, SNGPL and SSGPL should be given the responsibility of fulfilling all supply requirements of CNG sector, as they are getting a percentage share of all RLNG imports into Pakistan.
The government of Pakistan should also reduce the rate of CNG, while request local manufacturers to produce company fitted CNG cars and new CNG technologies. The government should also establish CNG kit manufacturing facility in Pakistan to help reduce the price of CNG kits and improve the technology for Pakistan extremely hot environment. This way the government will help reduce oil imports, while reduce air pollution, improve community health and also generate business for the newly established RLNG sector.
ENGR SHAHRYAR KHAN BASEER
Peshawar