- KP CNG stations to operate from 6am to 6pm daily: Governor Kundi.
- 35 mmcfd gas supply approved for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
- Punjab directed to remove wheat, flour transport barriers.
The federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments on Wednesday successfully concluded negotiations over the closure of CNG stations, with officials confirming an agreement on gas supply arrangements for the province.
The breakthrough came two days after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi displayed rare political unity by criticising the federal government over the suspension of gas supply and demanding immediate restoration of the CNG sector.
Confirming the development, KP Governor Kundi has welcomed the restoration of gas supply to the province, describing it as a positive step towards addressing KP’s energy concerns.
In a post on X, the governor expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for constituting a committee and taking direct interest in the matter, terming it an important issue for the province.
He further said the development reflected the strength of unified advocacy, commending both the provincial government and opposition for standing together in defence of the rights of the people.
KP CM Adviser on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination Muzzammil Aslam said the federal government approved the restoration of 35 mmcfd gas supply to the province.
He added that the issue was resolved due to the chief minister’s continuous engagement with federal authorities.
In a post on X, Aslam also acknowledged Governor Kundi and Opposition Leader Dr Ibadullah for “joining the chief minister on this sensitive issue”.
The sources within the KP government told Geo News that CNG stations across the province would remain open from 6am until 6pm following the restoration of supply.
They added that the decision to restore gas supply to the province was taken during a high-level meeting attended by senior federal and provincial officials.
According to sources, the meeting was attended by Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, Rana Sanaullah, Governor Kundi and Dr Ibad, KP CM’s finance adviser, KP Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Amer Tufail.
Flour, wheat supply crisis addressed
In a separate decision, the federal government directed the Punjab government to immediately remove obstacles in the transportation of wheat and flour to other provinces, following growing concerns over supply disruptions affecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
According to government sources, the Ministry of National Food Security provided the KP government with a WhatsApp number through which flour and wheat dealers could share videos and photographs if they faced hurdles while transporting supplies from Punjab.
The sources said the decision to remove barriers in the transportation of flour and wheat to KP was taken during a high-level meeting attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain and food secretaries from all four provinces.
During the meeting, the KP chief secretary said that he repeatedly approached the federal government and Punjab chief secretary to lift restrictions on wheat and flour transportation to the province.
He also informed the meeting that the KP government, opposition and governor were united on the wheat crisis and collectively seeking uninterrupted supply of flour and wheat to the province.
In the meeting, Punjab’s food secretary maintained that no restrictions had been imposed on the transportation of wheat and flour, prompting the KP chief secretary to question why flour prices had increased in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa if no ban existed.
The sources said that Federal Minister Hussain directed the relevant authorities to immediately remove all obstacles hindering the transportation of wheat and flour to KP.
Speaking to Geo News, KP Finance Adviser Aslam said the Punjab government had been informed during the meeting that constitutionally it could not impose restrictions on wheat and flour transportation between provinces.
He added that the price of a 100-kilogram flour bag in Balochistan was lower than in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, despite the latter province being geographically closer to Punjab.
He further said the federal government had assured provincial authorities that the matter would be resolved and uninterrupted transportation of wheat and flour to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would resume after the restrictions were lifted.
