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2 CNG stations in Karachi closed

NASIR SIDDIQUI

KARACHI: In contrast to the government's policy for making more prolific use of CNG, two CNG stations located in Karachi have been closed, to one's surprise.

Sources close to the CNG stations said a station located at the Defence Housing Society, near Marina Club and owned by Stanley House, has been closed by the company. A large number of CNG consumers had to go without getting CNG since Tuesday. No reason was given by the company for the closure, sources said.

However, some other sources said that the closure was due to some pressure from the vested interests who wanted to establish and run their own station instead.

It may be mentioned here that Stanley House operated three CNG stations in Karachi. With the closure of CNG station at Defence, only two stations owned by the Stanley are in operation Ñ one at Lasbella House crossing and the other near Aga Khan Hospital.

Another CNG station, located in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area, had been closed a few months back. This station belonged to Ecotech company. The reason for its closure also could not be ascertained.

It may be recalled that Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf had laid great emphasis on the establishment of more and more CNG stations in the country with a view to promoting on the use of CNG not only by the private vehicles but also in government owned vehicles in order to cut the expenditure on the use of petrol.

With the escalation in the prices of petrol, the use of CNG in the vehicles in the country has been on the increase.