Well it is hard to expect a pleasant news in prevailing circumstances, but sometime the policy decisions just make you go “crazyâ€. The same was the case last night after reading a piece of paper stating that the government is all out to bring CNG prices in parity with the prevailing petroleum prices, that will be around 60rs.
The conspiracy, as I will term it was in the air for quite a long time, and it has been learnt that infact all clear has been given in this regard, but the decision has been kept pending for the feared reaction of Supreme Court.
Now it can be anybody’s guess if this so called “strategic shift in energy sector†is the direct result of Kerry Lugar, IMF or World Bank. But like in any matter prior to this, it will be the consumer that will suffer. Lets put it this way around. For so long, may be a decade long campaign was undertaken to encourage this source of energy mainly for two reasons. 1st is the fact that it is available domestically and 2nd ly its environment friendly. Well heard somewhere that Pakistan has the 2nd largest consumers for this technology. With this been said, now we have our honourable planners deciding to do their best to discourage this sector and deprive the end user of this cheap commodity.
The pretext can be many. It was in the news that suddenly it has emerged that a severe shortfall will of natural gas will occur in this winter and for that load shedding,, price hike bla bla will be on the table………. Well isn’t it familiar with the situation we witnessed just a year back when our electricity suddenly disappeared? Like the power crisis, the goal planning of this present setup has more to do with next 50 years rather than immediate relief. For months Pak-Iran gas pipeline captured centre stage in this regard, only to result in a deal which will first take years to turn from theory to reality and the price settled for the gas supply is still under intense debate. Like always one is left guessing how much effort has been made to enhance the current capacity of Pakistan’s own gas reserves? Ofcourse all we will get is a sorry face………..
May be like most of the cases, the formulators of this formula are those who have never witnessed the grass root dynamics,, how much difference the CNG introduction has made,, and whom will they serve by destroying a domestic industry in order to get dependent on an entity which we don’t produce at all….petroleum.
Anyhow it is still early to notify them in case they care that this step will be like the last nail in their coffin. You cant ensure security, cant provide electricity or sugar and now you are out there to add another feather in your hat by taking an essential item like CNG out of the masses reach!
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