Thursday, May 15, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1429    

Another raise in POL prices in the offing
Gas rates may go up by 31 pc

Islamabad—Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on Wednesday sent formal summary to Prime Minister and Ministry of Finance regarding upsurge in petroleum products by Rs 2 to Rs 4.
In the summary, OGRA has requested to increase the petroleum products by Rs 2 to Rs 4.
It is pertinent to mention that the current rate of petrol per liter is 68.81 and Diesel is 50.13 and summary has been sent to increase it.
It must be mentioned that if petrol and diesel prices are increased then it will be another gift of inflation from the Government thus further augmenting the miseries of common man.—Online
Meanwhile, Managing Director of SNGPL A.Rashid Lone has said they have suggested 31 percent increase in the gas tariff with immediate effect and separating gas charges for three months of severe cold which should be equivalent to the fuel rates.
“ This practice would help reduce the domestic consumption,” he said delivering his speech at executive committee meeting of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry here Wednesday.
Khawaja Muhammad Jalal-uddin roomi chaired the meeting while FPCCI President Mian Tanvir Ahmed Shaikh was the chief guest.
He said that no CNG station would be allowed in populated area or on 8-inch line and added that1700 out of total 4700 CNG filling stations have so far been setup in the country. “Now we would allow only 120 CNG stations per annum from July 01, 2008.
He said that Pakistan has no plan to get natural gas from Russia. “However we are going to sign an agreement with Iran next month to lay a gas pipeline between Iran-Pakistan and India and gas supply would be begin by 2012.”
Lone said that SNGPL net work in urban areas spread over 6700 km and in other areas 56,000 km with customers more than three million. It was earning Rs.40 billion by selling the gas.
He claimed that there would be no gas load shedding in next two years.
Earlier Khawaja Jalal-uddin Roomi said in his welcome address that gas supply to processing units should not be stopped in winter and Gas tariff should not be increased because it wopuld cause increasing the cost of production.