CNG stations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are all set to go on indefinite strike on Monday against ban on the import of CNG kits, cylinders and filling gas to commercial vehicles. The strike will continue till the acceptance of their demands.

"The CNG association has completed arrangements for the strike and have held meetings with transport organisations in the province," said Pervez Khan Khattak, Chairman CNG Association, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, while talking to Business Recorder on Sunday. The Punjab chapter of the association has already announced to go on strike for indefinite period.

Khattak said that the association has constituted special committees for making contacts with the transport associations. He said that transporters have extended full cooperation to CNG association in the strike.

He said that from 2100 hours all CNG stations will be closed down for indefinite period to protest against ban on the import of CNG kits, cylinders and filling gas into commercial vehicles.

The owners of CNG stations have rejected ban on the import of the CNG kit and cylinder as totally wrong and cruel decisions by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

They asked the policy makers to keep in mind that the ban will create a new problem with the start of the smuggling of the equipment into the country and the flooding of the installation of sub-standard kits and cylinders in illegal workshops that will increase the chances of explosions, which will be a new headache for both people and administration.

He said that so far investors have made investment to tone of Rs.16 trillion in the CNG industry while transporters and people have invested Rs.15 trillion in heads of CNG kits and cylinders.

He said that as compare to other industries CNG sector is annually paying Rs.33 billion in heads of sales and income taxes to the national exchequer.

Furthermore, he said that the usage of CNG as alternative energy, the import of petrol had cut down by 4 billion litres annually saving a foreign exchange of US$ 3 billion.

Pervez Khan Khattak said that CNG has emerged as economic and green fuel in the world and its usage had helped decline environmental pollution, which is further saving millions of rupees under head of the health sector. In future, the use of CNG as fuel in vehicles could further cut environmental pollution by 75 percent, which is a guarantee for a protected future.