Islamabad, April 6 (NationPress) Inhabitants of Peshawar and various regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, are grappling with significant challenges due to a severe natural gas shortage, as CNG stations remain closed throughout the province, local media reported on Monday.

The majority of school van and bus operators have halted their services due to a lack of CNG, while public transport providers have raised fares as they switch to petrol, adding further financial strain on residents, according to Pakistan's prominent daily, The Express Tribune.

CNG filling stations have been non-operational for the second straight day in Peshawar and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as of Sunday. Several regions within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have experienced unexpected natural gas outages, exacerbating issues for both household and business consumers.

The shutdown of CNG stations has compelled numerous vehicles to either cease operations or operate at the elevated costs of petrol, leading to a surge in transportation fares. School transport providers are particularly affected, stating that maintaining operations with petrol is financially unfeasible, thus forcing them to suspend their services. Parents have expressed worries about the impact on their children's education and daily routines.

Public transport operators are also encountering multiple challenges, with those transitioning to petrol instead of CNG increasing their prices. They have cautioned that they may discontinue services if CNG stations remain closed.

On April 2, the government of Pakistan declared a substantial increase in fuel prices, with petrol prices soaring by 43% and High-Speed Diesel (HSD) by 55%.

The cost of petrol has surged by PKR 137.23 per litre, rising from PKR 321.17 to PKR 458.41, while HSD saw an increase of PKR 184.49 per litre, going from PKR 335.86 to PKR 520.35, according to another key daily, Dawn.

The petroleum levy rates were modified to mitigate the rise in diesel prices and its subsequent impact on transportation and freight costs. The levy on petrol increased to PKR 160 per litre from PKR 105, while it was reduced to zero on diesel from PKR 55, as reported by Dawn.

In his comments on April 2, Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik stated that the “difficult and responsible” decisions were reached after discussions involving the country's President, Prime Minister, military leaders, and provincial chief ministers.

He indicated that the intention behind this decision was to limit subsidies to those most in need while preserving fiscal discipline and the economic stability achieved over the past two years in alignment with international commitments.