IHC Seeks Price Rising Notification In CNG

ISLAMABAD, Jan 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 06th Jan, 2017 ) : The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday sought a notification regarding deregulation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) price from authorities till January 13.

Justice Athar Minallah also sought comments from the respondents for next hearing while hearing the petition filed by Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party (PJDP) challenging placing of five regulatory authorities under ministries.

The bench directed the Additional Attorney General Afnan Karim Kundi to produce the price deregulate notification on next hearing and adjourned the case till then. The petitioner cited the federation, Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources, OGRA, NEPRA, PTA, All Pakistan CNG Association, and others as respondents.

On last hearing, the counsel for the petitioner Sheikh Ahsan Uddin pleaded before the bench that placing the five regulatory authorities, which were working under the supervision of Council of Common Interests (CCI) according to articles 153, 154 of the Constitution, under the jurisdiction of very ministries was against law and rules.

He said once having taken the direct control of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), the compressed natural gas stations were allowed to fix CNG prices themselves instead of the same being done by the regulatory body.

It apprehended that same would be the case for electricity, domestic gas supplies and telephone services and the ordinary consumers would ultimately suffer at the hands of business concerns and multinational companies, he added.