Warns that issue 'set stage for widespread agitation', posing serious threat to law-and-order situation in province
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday wrote an urgent letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. demanding immediate intervention over the federal government's decision to cut gas supply to the CNG sector in the province.
In the letter. the chief minister drew attention to the province's gas position, noting that "K-P holds a substantial gas surplus," with the province producing "approximately 494 MMCFD of natural gas, while average consumption remains around 120 MMCFD."
Afridi said the CNG sector's requirement of "approximately 36–40 MMCFD Gas" had been "diverted to the fertilisers sector," a move he warned had "set the stage for widespread agitation. is posing a serious threat to law-and-order situation in the province."
وزیراعلیٰ خیبرپختونخوا محمد سہیل خان آفریدی کا وزیر اعظم پاکستان کو سی این جی سیکٹر کو گیس فراہمی کی معطلی پر خط!⬅️خیبرپختونخوا میں سی این جی سیکٹر کو گیس فراہمی کی بندش کا مسئلہ حل کرنے کا مطالبہ، خیبرپختونخوا قدرتی گیس پیدا کرنے والا بڑا صوبہ ہے، صوبے کو آئینی حق سے محروم نہ…pic.twitter.com/TRb3pwdXOF
Invoking constitutional backing. the letter referenced Article 158 of the Constitution of Pakistan, 1973, which stated that "the Province where a natural-gas wellhead is located has the first right to use the gas found in its territory." It also cited the Peshawar High Court, which had held that halting CNG stations "curtails lawful business guaranteed under Article 18 of the Constitution, affecting thousands of employees."
The chief minister stressed that "36 to 40 MMCFD gas supply to the CNG sector is restored in KP," calling it "extremely essential" given the "large-scale dependence of the transport sector on the use of CNG. avoidance of costly fuel".
Read:Kundi urges Centre to address K-P crisis
He urged the prime minister to either "issue directions to the petroleum division to withdraw the decision of curtailment of Gas to the CNG sector in K-P" or "call a meeting of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) at the earliest. put it on the agenda of the CCI."
Severe difficulties havegripped students, parents. daily commuters in Peshawarand across K-P after the closure of CNG stations due to acute natural gas shortage.
Most school van. bus operators in the provincesuspendedtheir services because CNG is unavailable, while public transporters who have switched to petrol have sharply increased fares, adding to the financial burden on citizens.
In several areas, unannounced load-shedding of natural gas has further compounded the problems for domestic and commercial consumers. The closure of CNG stations in April forced many vehicles to either stop operating or run on costlier petrol. resulting in a fresh hike in transport fares. School transporters are among the worst affected. Owners of Suzuki vans. buses say running vehicles on petrol is beyond their financial capacity, leaving them with no option but to park their fleets.
K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Sundayurgedthe federal government to take immediate notice of the province's mounting problems, warning that growing public frustration over shortages. governance failures could eventually push people onto the streets.
He called on the federal government to urgently address key issues confronting the province, particularly the suspension of CNG supply. restrictions on wheat movement.
Since assuming office as K-P chief minister last October. Afridi has repeatedly accused the federal government of discriminating against the province. On May 6, Afridiannounceda province-wide pen-down strike, directing government employees to suspend routine administrative work in protest against what the provincial government terms the Centre's "discriminatory treatment" in financial. constitutional matters.
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