LAHORE, Jan 19: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited on Saturday closed 18 CNG (compressed natural gas) stations in the city, which were found selling gas despite closure order.

The SNGPL also warned them of legal proceedings for what it called ‘gas theft’.

According to the CNG Association, these gas stations had got stay orders from court against ‘illegal closure’. The SNGPL refused to accept those orders and went ahead with the closure plan.

“It even took along two employees of a station in Lahore, who were brought back through court in the evening,” said Ghayyas Piracha of the CNG Association. According to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Act, there cannot be permanent gas closure as has been the case since Dec 18. These stations had moved courts but the SNGPL did not accept those orders.

Some local police stations accepted those stay orders and did not move against the stations. However, the SNGPL moved in, bringing its own contractors and staff to force closure, he said.