The federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) administration concluded successful negotiations on Wednesday regarding the closure of CNG stations, confirming an agreement to resume gas supply to the province. This development followed a rare show of political unity two days earlier, when KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Sohail Afridi jointly criticized the federal government for suspending gas supply and demanded immediate restoration of services to the CNG sector.
Governor Kundi welcomed the decision to restore gas supply, describing it as a positive step toward resolving KP’s energy challenges. In a message posted on X, he expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s direct involvement and the formation of a committee to address the issue, calling it a matter of great importance for the province. He also highlighted the strength of unified advocacy, praising both the provincial government and opposition for their collective efforts in defending the rights of KP’s citizens.
KP Chief Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination, Muzzammil Aslam, announced that the federal government approved the restoration of 35 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas supply to KP. He attributed the resolution to the chief minister’s persistent engagement with federal authorities. Aslam also acknowledged the support of Governor Kundi and Opposition Leader Dr. Ibadullah, who stood alongside the chief minister on this critical issue.
Following the restoration, CNG stations across KP will operate daily from 6 am to 6 pm. This decision emerged from a high-level meeting involving senior federal and provincial officials, including Federal Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, Rana Sanaullah, Governor Kundi, Dr. Ibadullah, KP CM’s finance adviser, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, and Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Amer Tufail.
In a related development, the federal government instructed Punjab authorities to immediately remove barriers obstructing the transportation of wheat and flour to other provinces, addressing growing concerns about supply disruptions affecting KP. The Ministry of National Food Security provided the KP government with a WhatsApp contact for flour and wheat dealers to report any difficulties in transporting supplies from Punjab.
This decision was finalized 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 stated that he had repeatedly requested both the federal government and Punjab chief secretary to lift restrictions on wheat and flour transport to KP. He emphasized the unified stance of the KP government, opposition, and governor in demanding uninterrupted supply amid the wheat crisis.
Punjab’s food secretary denied imposing any restrictions, prompting the KP chief secretary to question why flour prices had risen in KP if no ban existed. Federal Minister Hussain then directed authorities to immediately remove any obstacles hindering the transportation of wheat and flour to KP.
KP Finance Adviser Aslam later explained that the Punjab government was reminded of its constitutional inability to restrict wheat and flour transportation between provinces. He pointed out that despite KP’s proximity to Punjab, the price of a 100-kilogram flour bag in Balochistan was lower than in KP. The federal government assured provincial officials that the issue would be resolved swiftly and that uninterrupted transport of wheat and flour to KP would resume once restrictions were lifted.
