Islamabad, April 7: Residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Peshawar, are facing significant challenges due to a severe shortage of natural gas. CNG stations across the province have been shut down.
According to reports from the Pakistani newspaper ‘The Express Tribune’, many school van and bus operators have halted their services due to the lack of CNG. Public transport providers have increased fares after switching to petrol, placing an additional burden on commuters.
On Sunday, CNG filling stations in Peshawar and other parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained closed for the second consecutive day. Many areas are experiencing unannounced gas load shedding, exacerbating difficulties for both residential and commercial consumers.
The closure of CNG stations has forced numerous vehicles to either cease operations or switch to costly petrol, leading to increased transportation costs. School transport operators are among the hardest hit, stating that operating on petrol is beyond their financial capacity, which has forced them to suspend services.
Parents have expressed concern over the suspension of school transport, stating it will negatively impact their children’s education and daily routines.
Public transport operators are also facing numerous challenges. Those using petrol instead of CNG have raised their fares. They have warned that if CNG stations do not reopen soon, they may have to cease their services as well.
On April 2, the Pakistani government announced a significant increase in fuel prices. Petrol prices surged by 43%, while high-speed diesel (HSD) saw a 55% hike.
As reported by the newspaper Dawn, the price of petrol has risen from PKR 321.17 per liter to PKR 458.41, while HSD prices increased from PKR 335.86 to PKR 520.35 per liter. The price of kerosene also rose by PKR 34.08, reaching PKR 457.80.
To mitigate the impact of rising diesel prices on transportation and freight costs, adjustments have been made to petroleum levy rates. The levy on petrol has increased from PKR 105 to PKR 160 per liter, while the diesel levy has been reduced from PKR 55 to zero.
In a statement on April 2, Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Parvez Malik noted that these “difficult and responsible” decisions were made after extensive discussions involving the country’s president, prime minister, military leadership, and provincial chief ministers.
He emphasized that the aim of these decisions is to limit subsidies to only the most needy segments of society while maintaining fiscal discipline and safeguarding the economic stability achieved under international commitments over the past two years.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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