Staff Reporter
Islamabad
All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas Association (APCNGA) has said the CNG industry is passing through difficult times due to economic slowdown caused by the coronvirus (COVID-19) pandemic and needs the government attention to mitigate its financial woes.
Justifying the government assistance, APCNGA Central Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha in a news release said the CNG stations had been operating during the lockdowns to provide services to the vehicles performing emergency duties, but they could meet even their operational expenses due to low sales, and limited movement of both private and public transport.
Unfortunately, he said the CNG sector was given no concession on account of gas and electricity utility bills, adding significant decrease in petroleum prices also affected the CNG sales.
Paracha said the association had been holding talks with different departments and ministries, but failed to get any relief so far.
In its budget 2020-21 proposals given to the government, he said, the association had requested to bring down income tax on ‘local gas cost’ from 4 percent to 2 percent, reduce general sales tax from 17 percent to 10 percent, decrease customs duty on CNG kits & cylinders and abolish 5 percent duty on import of Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas.
He hoped that the government would sympathetically consider the association’s proposals and help in revival of CNG sector. He said the CNG was a cost-effective and environment-friendly fuel as compared to other petroleum products.
