RAWALPINDI: All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) on Wednesday said the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) Bill 2014 adopted by the National Assembly was discriminatory and would ruin the already troubled CNG sector.

“The GIDC Act stresses on the recovery of cess of the past years from the CNG sector only and relieves other gas consuming sectors,” said Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha of the APCNGA.

In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Mr Paracha said how could CNG operators pay the GIDC when they had not received it from the consumers, and how could the government recover the cess from CNG stations when they had been closed for seven months.

He expressed disappointment over the attitude of the lawmakers who did not raise their voice over the discrimination in the GIDC bill.

He said the APCNGA would only support the new law if the issues of CNG operators were resolved, CNG stations in Punjab were reopened immediately and prices were rationalised keeping in view all ground realities including inputs and operational costs.

He said a uniform cess should be imposed on all sectors and none should be subjected to unfair treatment.

Mr Paracha said Ogra had not reviewed CNG prices for the last three years and had not set any benchmark whereas gas companies and other departments continued to get hundreds of thousands from CNG owners as fixed charges every month despite closure of businesses.

These recoveries have not benefited the government but have surely burdened the CNG owners, he said.

Mr Paracha said the CNG stations were allowed to operate for 180 days only during the last three years and the sector was paying more taxes compared to any other sector. We should not be forced to protest, he warned.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2015

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