ISLAMABAD, June 10: The CNG sector has called off its strike after successful negotiations between the Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain and the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) late Sunday evening. As a result, motorists sighed with relief that they would be getting fuel for their vehicles from Monday.

The strike was initiated against the proposed 100 per cent increase in Gas Infrastructure Development Cess for CNG, which would lead to exorbitant increase in the price of CNG for consumers.

Chairman APCNGA, Ghiyas Paracha held an emergency press conference here to announce end of the strike and along with it the strike call given by the petroleum dealers and the oil tankers’ association was also withdrawn.

“We have been assured by doctor sahib (petroleum minister) that the 55 per cent parity between the CNG and the price of petrol will be maintained,” Mr Paracha said, adding that the proposed cess would have been like cushion for the government to increase CNG rates if the petrol prices rose.

It has been decided that the written agreement between the APCNGA and the petroleum ministry, in this regard, would be signed on Tuesday, June 12.

To the excitement of the consumers, the CNG stations started to open up across Punjab and the long queues extending even up to half-a-kilometre at some CNG stations operating in the twin cities during the day began to fissile out.

It is to mention here that as the strike on Sunday entered sixth day, not only did more pumps stop selling petrol as their tanks went dry but also the motorists seeking CNG who waited for hours at the limited number of CNG stations that opened up after three-day official loadshedding ending 6am on Sunday morning, felt relieved.  “I went for walk after the morning prayers and just thought to park my car outside the CNG station, luckily I got the early spot as few people were already there,” said Mohammad Zafar, resident of Double Road Rawalpindi, adding, “By the time they opened the CNG there were around 100 vehicles in the queue.”

Mr Zafar was really lucky to have CNG without waiting much but as the day moved on, the length of the queue continued to elongate at the stations which were selling the CNG.

It was observed that selected stations across the city including Double Road, Saidpur Road, Rawal Road and some company-owned stations were also operational during the strike.

“I waited for three hours in the hot sun to get CNG for my vehicle,” said Qazi Iftikhar, a taxi driver who was excited finally to get it at around the sunset from the filling station owned by Attock Petroleum opposite Shifa hospital.

However, negligible rush was witnessed at the CNG stations by the midnight when all the stations were operational and the load got divided.