Supreme Court asks OGRA to cancel licenses of CNG stations not ready for audit
Thursday, December 6th, 2012 12:40:49 by Faisal Farooq
The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday ordered Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to cancel the licenses of CNG stations that are not willing to get their accounts audited.
A two-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Jawad S Khawaja resumed the hearing of a case pertaining to the price of CNG. The apex court said OGRA is responsible to fix the prices and protect the consumers’ rights, adding that the price of CNG would remain unchanged until the next hearing.
OGRA submitted its reply to the court, saying that the authority received 6,471 applications of them temporary licenses were issued to 6,154 and permission for 3,395 marketing licenses were allowed from 2002 to 2011.
The statement further stated, CNG stations were fined for about Rs10.7 million in three years besides issuing show-cause notices to 380 and warnings to 131 outlets. Around 1273 pumps were inspected.
OGRA further said that as per 1992 CNG rules, it is not necessary to submit audit accounts and income tax returning, adding it is also not mandatory for issuing licenses, however, five pumps have submitted their audit accounts.
Representative of the Federal Board of Revenue informed the court that CNG sector deposited Rs4.08 billion tax during the last 3 years. According to the report, Rs1.008 billion was paid in 2009, Rs1.42 billion in 2010 and Rs 1.0065 billion in 2011.
Tax details and audit reports were not required for the issuance of CNG station licenses according to Ogra officials.
Officials gave further details that around 1 billion rupees were collected as penalty for various reasons adding that 1,233 filling stations were inspected and that only five companies had submitted audit reports , during the past ten years.
According to report, OGRA inspected 1,273 CNG stations, show-cause notices were issued to 380 fillings stations and Rs 10.7 million fine was imposed between 2009 and 2012.
The Supreme Court has adjourned hearing CNG price case till December 17.
Tags: CNG, CNG Stations’ Owners, Federal Bureau of Revenue, Justice Jawad S. Khawaja, Ministry of Petroleum, OGRA, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, Supreme CourtShort URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=35787
Posted by Faisal Farooq
on Dec 6 2012. Filed under National, Pakistan.
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AoA.I am really shocked to read this news that for the last two months the situation as regards the CNG users is very misreable all over the country, but no one even the apex court seems to be taking no notice of it and comments like this “Agar faida nahi hai to CNG station band kar dou” are shocking for people. It seems that every one in this case wants to prove the worth of their power. CNG owners are playing with the sentiments of the people and by closing their stations they are trying to bring public at large on the roads and creat a law and order situation in the country and Supreme Court has also adjourned the case for 12 more another painful days for the people of Pakistan without passing any strict direction for the welfare of poor community despite the fact that during the last so many proceedings it has become evident that neither the cng owners nor the ogra is ready to safe guard the rights of public at large. Then Who Will Protect the Same ?