Showing great resentment against the government announcement of an increase in prices of natural gas and CNG, people from cross section of life demanded of the federal government to withdraw its decision, which would add to the miseries of the already inflation-hit people.
The government ‘as a New Year gift’, announced an increase in price of CNG in terms of kilogram by Rs5.57 to Rs55.30 from Rs49.73 per kg in Potohar region (Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Gujar Khan). On the other hand for domestic consumers the tariff of gas for those who consume 50 M3 per month has been increased to Rs95.01 per MMBTU per month from Rs80.65 per MMBTU per month; for those who consume 50 to 100 M3 per month the tariff has been increased to Rs99.48 per MMBTU per month from Rs84.45 per MMBTU. Likewise the consumers who fall under second slab of over 200 M3 to 300 M3 per month the tariff would now be Rs383.42 per MMBTU as against Rs325.48 per MMBTU, and so on. Similarly the rate of other slabs has also been increased not only for domestic gas consumers, but also for commercial consumers as well as CNG stations, fertilisers factories, independent power producers and captive powers, cement factories.
Talking to ‘The News’ a number of people including Abid Hussain Shah, who works in a private company said that with each passing day the government is burdening people with raising prices of daily use commodities. “First it was ‘atta’ followed by sugar and now the price of gas has been increased for general public. “We can’t understand what is this government trying to do? With the new increase in Sui gas bills people like me will not be able to pay their gas bills. I can’t understand how will we survive in this country,” he bemoaned.
On the other hand, Punjab Urban Transport Owners Association General Secretary Muhammad Arshad Niazi announced an increase of Rs5 in stop-to-stop fares of local transport from Rs10 to Rs15. Talking to ‘The News’ he said that they cannot run the transport on existing fares and they were compelled to increase the fares.
Rawalpindi-Islamabad Transport Union President Malik Muhammad Sultan also supported the views of Punjab Urban Transport Owners Association saying the transporters throughout Punjab have started charging Rs15 as stop-to-stop fare against Rs10, therefore they would also charge the same fare. He said that 100% Suzuki pickups and around 50% wagons run on CNG and they cannot afford to run their vehicles by charging existing fares.
However, District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Muhammad Asif Chaudhry made it clear that the transporters cannot increase the public transport fares on their own. “The government will take strict action against the transporters, if they will increase the fares on their own,” he added.
Dr. Uzma Irfan, a resident of B-block, Satellite Town, said that the government is not thinking about the plight of a common man and is testing their patience. People are already facing high prices of daily use commodities and now the hike in price of gas and CNG will also increase their woes.
Rahat Abbasi, a cart pusher in Raja Bazaar said that he earns around Rs300 per day and lives in a rented room along with his family and was paying a monthly rent of Rs2,000 rent per month. “Two of my kids go to school and in prevailing circumstances when the prices of each and every commodity are touching the sky, the new price of gas will be too much for people like me, I am worried as how will I be able to pay my monthly gas bill?,” he added.
Salma Usman, a housewife, said the government was creating difficulties for them but they were not coming on roads. “If public will not come on roads to mark their protest against the present situation, the government will continue creating more and more troubles for them.
Talking to ‘The News’ Tasleem Abbasi said that despite increasing gas prices, the government has failed to improve gas pressure.
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