He alleged that bureaucracy has deliberately complicated a simple issue of pricing after the landmark decision of the Supreme Court in a bid to deprive masses of economical fuel, reward influential sectors and pave way for additional imports of costly fossil fuel.
He said the petroleum ministry, Ogra, independent auditors and parliamentarians have accepted that current retail price of CNG is not sustainable, but at the same time the nation is being misguided regarding excessive profit margins of CNG operators.
He expressed disappointment over repeated statements by top government functionaries to phase out CNG sector, which is using only 7 percent of the total gas production. He said following the people-friendly verdict of the SC no one tried to understand the issue, while some elements in the government used all their energies to create confusion to turn judiciary and masses against the CNG sector.
Paracha requested the President and the Prime Minister to take note of the sinister plot, which is hurting owners of 3.5 million vehicles using CNG, proprietors and staff of 3,400 CNG outlets and millions of commuters. "We have a right to ask as to why we were forced for an agreement in 2008....now how this agreement has been scraped unilaterally and who directed Ogra to reduce prices to unmanageable levels," Paracha said.
He said the SC had also raised objections on well-head prices and directed a forensic audit, but no move has been initiated in this regard. Now, energy ministry has mounted efforts to increase the buying price of gas from producers, which will put an additional burden of Rs 122 billion on masses, which is a conspiracy.
The government is presenting cooked statistics against CNG sector using 7 percent of the gas to reward influential sectors reaping benefits of their contacts with those who 'matter' the most, he said. He rejected decisions and statements regarding imposing additional taxes on CNG operators, barring vehicle owners from buying CNG, closing down filling stations for two months during winter, cancellation of licences of stations using extra gas, reducing operational cost to zero and closing down 400 CNG stations. He said we are also Pakistanis, we have a right to live and we will never compromise on interests of masses.