ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday concluded its hearing in the case pertaining to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) prices, DawnNews reported. The ruling in the case is expected to be issued on Friday (tomorrow).

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja, heard the case over CNG pricing formula.

The CNG Association had requested the court to rule to bring the price of CNG to rupees 73 per kilogram. However, the court had refused to interfere in the workings of the Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

In his remarks, Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja said five years had passed and CNG station owners had failed to meet the required conditions.

Secretary Petroleum Waqar Masood Khan told the bench that a committee had been formed under the chairmanship of the federal law minister during a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).

He added that the government had its own concerns and reservations over the prices.

Speaking outside the Supreme Court after the hearing, Chairman CNG Association Ghayas Paracha said that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) should reopen CNG stations which had been shut down illegally. He also demanded that gas load-shedding should be minimised if not stopped altogether.

Earlier today, the apex court had ordered for the cancellation of licenses of CNG stations refusing an audit.

Justice Khawaja remarked that the issue pertaining to CNG pricing was dragging and that a nexus between the CNG station owners and Ogra was evident.

Counsel for Sindh CNG Association, Advocate Wasim Sajjad, had also told the court that a crisis had erupted after the Supreme Court had ordered for the per kilo price of CNG to be slashed by Rs 30 on Oct 25. He moreover requested the court to order Ogra on deciding the price of CNG.