Terming it a game changer, the government and the All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA) say that the use of liquefied natural gas in transport sector will save over $2.5 billion per annum, generate one million jobs, protect Rs450 billion worth of industry and ensure a clean environment, besides providing at least 30 per cent cheaper fuel to consumers.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Islamabad yesterday with a central leader of APCNGA, the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said that the two sides had taken a new initiative to use imported LNG as CNG in vehicles. The project will materialise in about 18 months.
“The APCNGA will itself be responsible for the LNG import,” said the minister, adding the government would allocate the pipeline capacity and gas companies — SSGCL and SNGPL — would deliver re-gasified LNG to CNG stations in an open market based environment so that CNG was made available to consumers at 30-35 per cent off the price of petrol.
He said the initiative would ensure uninterrupted supply of CNG to consumers. The initial utilisation would start from 200MMCFD (million cubic feet per day), but eventually 500MMCFD of LNG would be utilised by the CNG sector. “This is a game changer that will provide a big saving to the country in view of lower petrol imports. This will reduce the import bill by $2.5 billion,” he added.
