KARACHI, July 30: Pakistan is likely to outclass Brazil and Argentina in population of CNG vehicles and may emerge world’s number two in August this year by surpassing Argentina in number of CNG vehicles.

Pakistani roads are now flooded with 1.21m of CNG vehicles while Argentina has 1.243 million vehicles on roads. Brazil has 1.315 million CNG converted vehicles.

“We will leave Argentina behind next month in view of the rising demand of CNG-fitted cars and other vehicles. Pakistan has already emerged as the CNG leader in Asia,” CNG Station Owners Association (CNGSOA) Malik Khuda Bux told Dawn on Monday.

Currently, over 1,400 stations are in operation in 85 towns and cities of the country and an investment of Rs46 billion has so far been made. More than 60,000 new jobs have been created.

Some 400 new stations will be added in the new fiscal 2007-08 and number of vehicles will touch 1.4 million, he said adding that the 7,000-8,000 vehicles are being converted into CNG every month while some 3,000 new factory fitted CNG cars are finding their way to the roads from the local assembly plants.

Despite phenomenal growth in the CNG sector, consumers continue to face inordinate delays due to long queues at the CNG stations of the drivers to get their cylinder filled.

Less than 10 CNG stations out of over 100 stations in Karachi are getting gas pressure at 15 psi (per square inch) as against low pressure of eight psi. As a result, consumers have to wait for long at the CNG pumps. In the peak hours (after 10:pm) the eight psi reduces to 4-6 psi, thus taking 15-20 minutes to get the gas cylinder of a car filled.

In sharp contract, the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) offers 15 psi to the CNG stations. Dealers said that more than 90pc of pumps are getting 15 psi pressure. The CNG stations are now handling consumers numbering more than double compared to last year. Because of the low pressure of eight psi, the capacity of the compressor fails and the dispenser takes time to fill CNG especially in peak hours.

Chairman CNG Dealers Association (CNGDA) Abdul Sami Khan along with other members told Dawn in his office that one and a half years back, the SSGCL had agreed to offer 15 psi pressure but their charges were very high. As a result, only few investors have so far afforded to get the 15 psi for their stations.

He said that the SSGCL should follow the policy of SNGPL in offering 15 psi with low charges. But so far the utility company despite repeated attempts and requests is not ready to take the matter seriously.

Because of phenomenal increase in petrol prices, a number of consumers had installed CNG kits and cylinder in their vehicles in a bid to cut the cost of transportation. CNG still costs 40-50 per cent cheaper than petrol in cars.

The CNG dealers had also discussed the draft CNG Policy, 2007, which the petroleum ministry had dispatched to the associations for comments and inputs.

On the government’s plan that no new CNG pump will be set up in residential area, Abdul Sami Khan said that the government should exempt those investors, who had already made investment by purchasing land and equipment and also those who had received license.

For example, he said that in Karachi alone, there are 100 pumps situated in residential areas while 35 new stations have also been approved.