April 2011 a strike was called by the president of CNG association and came into affect from 13th of April 2011. The reason for CNG stations to go on strike was insufficient supply of gas from SUI Northern Gas Company Limited. This insufficient supply of gas from SUI Northern Gas Company is shocking because we are into the season where gas consumption is lowest of the years. As most of house hold consumption like Room and Water heaters go down in this season, so that provides considerable decrease in daily gas usage.
The winter season is long gone but Sui Northern Gas is still observing some lame Gas Load management plan or Gas Load shedding in other words. Load shedding is mostly being observed in Punjab and its two days a week. Gas load Management plan is not only a big dent on CNG stations’ businesses but a headache for consumers due to the prices of alternate fuel being very high relatively. Plus also gas is not available for two days and two to three days of remaining five days consumers have to face long queues when they are all on the road to refuel their vehicles for usage in off days of CNG availability.
In the summer season when temperatures are already touching and exceeding the 40 degrees Cecilius, this is strange that Sui Northern Gas company is facing gas short fall. It is not only the case in Punjab, this company is struggling in other regions too, like in Sindh same company is not providing sufficient gas to KESC triggering the electricity load shedding of up to 14 hours.
Current political party in government should know its role and should do what ever they can to resolve these daily life necessity issues but sorry to say our leaders still are just sleeping and are indifferent about the problems of people of Pakistan.
Update: In day time very few CNG Stations remained open, they had the long queues but were giving gas of limited volume e.g. just 100 Rs or so. However in night little more number of CNG stations were open for business, but still there were unbearably long queues at those CNG stations.
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