All Pakistan CNG Association KP concerned over closure of CNG stations -

Shahzad Rasheed
Peshawar: The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, has been urged to immediately issue an executive order to control the ongoing CNG crisis in the province, which has persisted for the past month.
This demand was made by Haji Pervez Khattak, Chairman of the All Pakistan CNG Association (KP Zone), during a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club.
He stated that around 600 CNG stations across the province are currently shut down due to the crisis, leaving people struggling economically and deprived of the cheapest fuel option, CNG, which is produced within the province itself.
He added that after the repair of pipelines such as Spin Warm and Shewa-1, CNG supply should have been restored, but it has still not resumed. He questioned this delay and termed it unjust, accusing the federal government of acting arbitrarily and depriving the public of their basic rights.
Pervez Khattak further said that approximately 400,000 vehicles rely on CNG daily, and denying access to this affordable fuel is unfair to the public.
He emphasized that the CNG sector saves up to 1.5 million liters of petroleum products daily, and shutting it down amounts to economic destruction for both the public and CNG station owners.
He also mentioned that the Peshawar High Court had ordered the restoration of CNG supply, but the directive has not been implemented, worsening inflation and public hardship.
According to him, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa produces over 500 MMCFD of gas, while the total provincial requirement, including the CNG sector, is only 120 MMCFD, making the suspension of supply unjustified.
He warned that if CNG is not restored within two days, a strong protest movement will be launched from Peshawar, involving transporters, investors, and the general public.
He added that the closure of CNG stations is affecting hundreds of thousands of people daily, and questioned the fairness of diverting the province’s resources to benefit others.