| ISLAMABAD, April 14: Under pressure because of the strike, the Ministry of Petroleum has called a meeting to review situation of gas supply today and hinted at ending the two-day weekly off for the CNG filling stations from next month. Majority of the CNG filling stations remained closed in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on the second consecutive day on Thursday. With less public transport on the road, people faced long waits at bus stops and paid cabs higher fares to reach their destinations. Motorists patiently waited throughout the night and the day outside the CNG filling stations. On Thursday Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani directed the ministry to convene a meeting of Gas Load Management Committee on Friday to review the gas supply situation in the country. The prime minister also directed that the representatives of `major stakeholders` should be called to the meeting and find solutions to minimise the problems of the industry and the people. The stakeholders include All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma), fertilizer industry, power plants, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Sui Southern Gas Company, Sui Northern Gas Company and the three CNG associations. In his directive, the premier asked the committee to analyse the gas shortage situation and `rationalise` distribution to lessen problems of the people. The filling stations in Punjab went on an indefinite strike on Wednesday on the call of All Pakistan CNG Association (APCA) to press the government for ending the two-day weekly off and unfair gas distribution. Filling stations owned by the powerful and the oil marketing companies remained opened at Peshawar Road, Adiala Road, Tulsa Road, Dheri Hassanabad, Bakra Mandi, Chungi No. 22, Benazir Bhutto Road, Sadiqabad, Rawal Road and Bostan Khan Road in Rawalpindi and F-8, F-7, I-9, I-8, G-7 and other parts of the capital city. But they could not deal with the demand in the twin cities. While the strike call has been given by the APCA in Punjab only, the ministry also called the CNG associations` representatives from Karachi also. Malik Khuda Bukhsh, chairman of CNG Owners Association, on Thursday held talks with Secretary Petroleum Imtiaz Kazi on problems faced by CNG retailers and consumers due to loadshedding. Malik Bukhsh criticised the government for continuing the two-day weekly off for the CNG stations, saying the domestic demand has gone down as heaters and geysers have been turned off. The secretary petroleum told him that there would be no gas loadshedding for CNG filling stations from the end of May. But only two days back, the ministry had told APCA that the two-day weekly off would only end after June 30 this year รข€" a refusal that led to strike across Punjab. The ministry has also invited the CNG Dealers Association of Pakistan, led by Abdul Sami Khan, for discussions today. Travelling daily between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, commuters, including students and office workers, were seen waiting for private public transport, which remained thin on Thursday. Raja Riaz, president of Suzuki Owners and Drivers Association, lashed out at the government for not heeding the demands of CNG association, saying the strike was devastating for their business. "Scores of our vehicles are not on road because of unavailability of gas." Taking advantage of the strike, the cabbies, who got the gas tanks filled at night, charged extra fares from the passengers. Complaining about the strike, Salman Rasheed, a resident of Westridge, said from Westridge to Saddar, the cabdrivers were demanding Rs120 instead of normal Rs50. He said he opted to go on foot instead of paying more than double fare. But the cabdrivers, refuting claims of overcharging, maintained that they were running their vehicles on petrol. Meanwhile, owners of CNG stations on Thursday staged a protest demonstration at Faizabad. Holding banners and placards, they blocked Benazir Bhutto Road for some time. A contingent of police escorted the protesters. Dawn APCA Supreme Council Chairman Ghayas Paracha told that the CNG filling stations resumed the supply in Lahore, Gujranwala and Multan temporarily. "As Mondays and Tuesdays are weekly off in Multan, Lahore, and Gujranwala, CNG filling stations had been closed there for the last four days. We resumed the supply for the convenience of people," he said. "But in other parts of the province, we will continue our strike till the government meets our demands." About the meeting called by the secretary petroleum, Mr Paracha said it was about `other` issues and their demands were not on the agenda. "We are demanding fair distribution of gas and end of two-day weekly off for CNG." He claimed that almost 90 per cent the CNG filling stations were closed across the province. When his attention was drawn towards the filling stations providing gas, he said the APCA had not forced the petroleum marketing companies to close their outlets as they were not members of the association. |
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