ISLAMABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 17th May, 2020 ) :All Pakistan Petroleum & Compressed Natural Gas Association (APPCNGA) has demanded of the Federal and provincial governments to restore the public service transport as its closure, enforced due to the coronavirus pandemic, had left around 2.5 million people jobless across the country.
“The people associated with the public transport business have received no financial assistance from anywhere and now their economic condition is worsening with each passing day,” Association Chairman Ghiyas Abdullah Paracha said in a statement.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has already decided to restore the transport service from Monday, and the Punjab government is in the process of finalizing modalities in that regard, while the Sindh government has refused to reopen the transport sector.
Keeping in view the ground reality, Paracha said the public transport service should be restored across the country so that the transporters’ community could earn their livelihood and benefit of the reduction in petroleum and CNG prices be passed on to the common man.
Paracha said the sale of CNG had shrunk to 20 percent after a substantial decrease in the petroleum price and due to the closure of public transport service.
He said after reopening of markets under certain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the public transport sector should also be allowed to operate with necessary preventive measures to avoid the virus spread.
He was of the view that almost 30 percent of the country total revenue was generated through petroleum products. “Due to closure of the public transport, oil marketing and gas companies are facing billions of rupees loss.”With restoration of the public transport, Paracha said oil and gas companies would get respite. Besides, petrol pumps and CNG outlets would be able to restart their routine business activities, he added.
