OGRA misguiding courts to destroy CNG sector

Lahore: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Tuesday said Ogra has been violating its own rules and misguiding courts in a bid to destroy Rs 400 billion CNG sector to please powerful energy mafia.

 

Asking Prime Minister to taken note of plot, it said that the sector moving wheels of the economy in the most economical manner is victim of conspiracies of those who have been trying to wipe off the sector which will never be allowed.

 

Thousands of licences of the CNG operators have been cancelled illegally on the pretext of clause 18 of the CNG rules 1992 wherein there is no mention of cancellation of licences, said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, Chairman Supreme Council APCNGA.

 

Speaking at a hurriedly called press conference, he said that Supreme Court in its decision on July 5, 2013 has not ordered cancellation of licences while it order number SCMIR-705 (1995) says that licences of pumps having NOC cannot be cancelled on safety concerns.

 

He said that Ogra has been hatching conspiracies against the CNG sector since long leaving the CNG sector and the owners of 3.5 million vehicles converted on CNG in the lurch.

 

Whole world accepts the benefits of environment-friendly and economical fuel. Many countries including US have been promoting CNG while those having no natural gas have been importing LNG to convert it to CNG before providing it to masses and public transport, he informed.

 

However in Pakistan, he said, some corrupt economists and pseudo intellectuals who are backed by a cabal of the wealthy and influential have been trying to form a negative public opinion against CNG sector while offering costly alternatives.

 

Ghiyas Paracha said that we have established world’s No. 1 CNG industry by investing Rs 400 billion which reduced environmental degradation, reduced inflation, saved billion in oil import bill and facilitated masses in every nook and corned of the country.

 

The leader of the CNG sector said that we helped convert 90 per cent vehicles on CNG, paid highest taxes while using minimum amount of natural gas on 100 per cent efficiency and provided jobs to millions.

 

Some incidents attributed to CNG were result of negligence of poor taxi drivers and transporters who were forced to use petrol and LPG in unsafe manner due to CNG loadshedding.

 

He added that the corrupt government officials were involved in the theft of gas for masses pay the price.

 

He said that incompetent bureaucracy has been misguiding courts while the APCNGA lacks resources to pay heavy fees to the lawyers of superior courts every now and then.

 

APCNGA will never tolerate conspiracies of mafia dreaming to grab whole energy market of Pakistan on the cost of economy and masses, he vowed.

 

Paracha asked the Prime Minister to judge everything on merit and announce a CNG-friendly policy to benefit masses.