PESHAWAR, May 28: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has warned the government that the countrywide CNG stations will go on strike if the CNG price is increased from June 1.

Speaking at a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday, provincial APCA president Pervez Khattak criticised petroleum and natural resources minister Dr Asim Hussain over the proposal of CNG price increase and alleged that the minister had personal interests to serve by advocating a higher rate for CNG.

He said the federal government had frequently increased CNG and petroleum prices over the last three years without taking stakeholders into confidence and thus, creating unrest among the people.

“In case of any increase in CNG price, we’ll go on strike, which will continue until the government withdraws the hike,” he said.

Mr Khattak alleged that the CNG rate was persistently increased to promote liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

He said increase in CNG price was the brainchild of minister Dr Asim and the CNG association would never accept it.

“Even one rupee increase is not acceptable to us. If the government tries to impose any decision on us, we will observe complete strike across the province,” he said.

The provincial APCA president said he had already filed a petition with the Peshawar High Court over the matter and hoped that a favourable verdict was expected to come on June 5.

He said the increasing CNG price won’t help resolve power crisis anyway. He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produced 365 million cubic feet natural gas but consumed 202 million cubic feet gas only.

Mr Khattak said CNG was a reasonable and safe fuel compared to LPG and LNG.

“If the plan to increase CNG price is not dropped, we’ll collect refilling nozzles from all 500 CNG stations in the province to ensure that CNG is sold nowhere in the province during the strike,” he said.

He said during the strike, owners and workers of CNG stations would take to the streets and agitate until the hike was withdraw.

The provincial APCA president said if CNG rate was increased, then rates of all consumer goods would automatically increase and in that case, the ultimate sufferer will be the poor common man. He held the government responsible for energy crisis and said artificial fuel shortage had been created.