Sohail Afridi Warns PM of unrest over CNG shutdown

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Monday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to immediately intervene in the suspension of gas supply to the CNG sector in the province, warning that the move could trigger public agitation and create a serious law-and-order situation.

In an urgent letter to the prime minister, Afridi said K-P was a gas-surplus province and questioned the federal government’s decision to divert gas allocated to the CNG sector to fertiliser plants.

The chief minister stated that K-P produced around 494 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) of natural gas while its average consumption stood at only 120 MMCFD. He said the CNG sector required merely 36 to 40 MMCFD, but the supply had now been curtailed.

“The diversion of gas has set the stage for widespread agitation and is posing a serious threat to law and order in the province,” Afridi warned in the letter.

Citing Article 158 of the Constitution, the chief minister reminded the Centre that provinces producing natural gas have the first right over its utilisation. He also referred to past Peshawar High Court observations declaring that closure of CNG stations affected lawful businesses and deprived thousands of workers of employment.

Afridi stressed that restoration of gas supply to the CNG sector was “extremely essential” due to the province’s heavy dependence on CNG-powered transport and the rising burden of expensive fuel.

He urged the prime minister either to direct the Petroleum Division to immediately reverse the decision or convene an urgent meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to resolve the dispute constitutionally.

The gas crisis has severely disrupted daily life across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in Peshawar, where closure of CNG stations has paralysed transport services and added to public frustration.

Many school vans and public transport vehicles have stopped operating after CNG supplies dried up, while transporters who shifted to petrol significantly increased fares, further burdening citizens already struggling with inflation.

Transport operators said running vehicles on petrol was financially unsustainable, forcing many to park their fleets. Meanwhile, domestic consumers in several areas are also facing unannounced gas load-shedding.

The issue has intensified tensions between the provincial and federal governments, with Afridi repeatedly accusing Islamabad of discriminatory treatment toward Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa since assuming office last year.

On Sunday, Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also urged the federal government to address the worsening crisis, warning that growing public anger over shortages and governance issues could eventually spill onto the streets.