LAHORE, Feb 6: The All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Wednesday rejected hike in the price of natural gas, terming it worst victimisation of the masses and the industry.

The upward revision in gas tariff to the tune of around Rs10 per unit could not be allowed under any circumstances, it said.

The mala fide intentions of the petroleum ministry were pushing the country to the ‘dark ages’ while Punjab was being penalised on purpose, said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha, the APCNGA supreme council chairman.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, he said gas loadshedding for CNG filling stations was illegal as the government was bound to provide gas throughout the year according to the agreements.

The government, he said, had been violating agreements and harassing CNG operators, including those who got relief from courts, which proved its bias against the sector providing economic fuel to the masses facing runaway inflation.

He demanded immediate compensation for the ‘heavy losses’ the sector suffered because of the petroleum ministry’s policies that he said were aimed at encouraging import of the costly liquid gasses.

Paracha also alleged that the gas saved by closure of CNG outlets had been secretly diverted to the sectors that paid huge bribes to rulers in the name of ‘election fund’.

He asked the president and prime minister to take note of the situation and stop the departments concerned from what he called abusing their power. — Staff Reporter