Published on, Aug. 21 -- August 21, 2025 7:37 AM

The Rs 50 billion gas billing dispute has created waves of confusion and mistrust in the country's energy sector. To start with, Rs 50 billion is an amount quite something. After thousands of industries and CNG operators raised voice against bills for dues stretching back nearly a decade, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had to intervene and now e has now ordered an independent probe into the matter.

Former federal secretary Shahid Khan will lead the inquiry. There have been loud protests from around 2,950 industrial consumers and 1,200 CNG operators, who say the charges are unfair. They argue their products were already sold, some even exported, and the costs cannot be recovered now.

The d...