ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has rejected a recommendation report by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), ordering that the current CNG price be maintained until Dec 5, DawnNews reported.

Price of CNG will be maintained at Rs  61.64 pesr kg in Region 1 (Potohar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan) and at Rs 54.16 per kg in Region 2 (Sindh, Punjab,and its areas excluding Potohar).

A three member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, heard the case here on Monday.

A representative of Ogra presented a CNG price adjustment formula and audit report to the apex court.

Ogra had recommended a price hike of Rs 12.52 per kg and the audit company had recommended the price hike of Rs 21.39 per kg. The apex court showed its reservations over the recommendations and said that it was the “duty of the Supreme Court to prevent unjust burden on people’s pocket.”

He said that there was no check and balance of price fixing. Adding that, the chief justice

aid that he did not understand the logic of operating cost.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed said that it seems that the proposal had been written by someone who owns CNG stations.

Chief Justice Iftikhar said that those who want to shut down their CNG stations they should not be forced to open them.

Counsel of the CNG association Hafeez Pirzada said that the police and authorities were harassing the CNG station owners. He said the owners are bearing 90 per cent of the loss due to 30 rupees price reduction.

The court summoned a new price adjustment formula adjourned the hearing until Dec 5 .