DNA

Rawalpindi, OCT 28: The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has expressed concern over the notification of termination of gas connection and forced transfer to RLNG by Sui Northern Gas for commercial customers and demanded that it be withdrawn.

RCCI President Saqib Rafiq in a statement said that more than three thousand commercial consumers of Rawalpindi-Islamabad will be affected by the notification.

President Chamber said that it is very alarming that connections are being terminated with only five days’ notice, without any consultation with stakeholders and orders have been issued to remove gas meters from November 1.

All cafes, bakeries, milk-shops, tea stalls, canteens, barber shops, laundries, hotels, malls, places of entertainment like cinemas, clubs, theatres, and private offices, corporate firms, owners of tandoors etc will be affected if SNGPL suspends supply of indigenous gas to them, he added.

He said that traders are already suffering due to inflation and economic slowdown, the stoves of thousands of families will go off due to the said notification, he said. He demanded that the government in consultation with the stakeholders should devise a comprehensive plan for gas distribution in winters.

Appealing to State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik and MD Sui Northern, he demanded that the notification be withdrawn and old connections be restored for commercial users.

As per notification, SNGPL is now offering RLNG to such commercial consumers only who sign the RLNG supply contract prior to October 31, 2022. Indigenous gas supply to all commercial consumers will be disconnected; therefore, commercial consumers are requested to sign the contract before October 31, 2022 in order to ensure continuity of gas supply on RLNG tariff.