President, All Pakistan CNG Association, threatened to go to supreme court if the price hike was not taken back.

On the otherside, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zone has rejected Rs 11.60 per kilogram increase in the price of CNG and attributed it to sheer injustice and vowed to resist such measures of the government.

Chairman KP zone, Pervez Khan Khattak said that the new Rs.88.70 per kilogram in proportion to 775.60/mmbtu price of CNG was a cruel act against both the consumers and investors of CNG sector.

He alleged that a troika of anti-people elements sitting in the corridors of power was on rampage against the people, saying the CNG was being sacrificed for the sake of LPG and LNG.

He said that the act of the government aimed at wasting an investment of Rs 34 trillion, CNG sector was using only 8 per cent of the total reservoirs of the natural gas, he added.

Control on the losses could overcome the problem of gas shortage in the country.

Despite these facts, he said the quarters concerned had adopted negative attitude towards the CNG industry while Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussein was bent upon the destruction of the sector and making it more costly than petroleum products to deprive the people of this cheap and environment friendly fuel.

On one hand, the minister was offering the exploration and supply contracts to foreign investors at the rate of 4 dollar per MMBTU while on the other hand offering less than 3.5 dollar per MMBTU to local private sector.

He said that in wake of these facts and figures, all members of the CNG association had unanimously decided that they would defend their industry and would resist the negative measures of the particular group.

While Muttahida Transporters Federation also threatens to go on strike against the unfair hike in fuel prices.

SOURCE: BUSINESS RECORDER