Countrywide crackdown against gas theft to be launched

Lahore : Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed countrywide crackdown against gas theft and said Rs 50 billion gas was being stolen annually while the government was giving Rs 100 billion subsidy to 91 percent gas consumers.

He stated this while chairing a high-level meeting on various issues of gas sector.

The prime minister was informed that the Rs 50 billion stolen gas was being put in the category of unaccounted for gas and the burden of stolen or wasted gas was passed on to the consumers.

The prime minister directing countrywide crackdown against gas theft said that no leniency should be given in case of unaccounted for gas (UFG). He said the performance of heads of gas companies would be
evaluated from the stoppage of UFG.

The prime minister was also briefed in detail about the demand and supply of gas in summer and winter seasons, present arrangements to fulfill demand of gas for domestic, industrial and other sectors
and the future requirements.

The prime minister was also briefed about the policy to fulfill requirements of gas for the years 2019 and 2020. The meeting decided to bring 200 MMCFD more gas keeping in view the requirements of gas
for electricity and other sectors during the coming months.

The prime minister was briefed about the complaints of inflated gas bills. He was told that despite the costly contracts for buying imported gas and other expenditures, merely 12 to 35 percent increase had been made in the bills of 91 percent consumers. While
those who consumed 500 to 1000 mf gas per month had been issued increased bills keeping in view  the original price of gas and total number of such consumers were less than 10 percent, the meeting was
told.

The meeting was also briefed about the steps taken for discovery of gas and the facilities given to such companies.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Information Minister Ch Fawad Hussain, Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Advisor to the PM on Trade, Abdur Razak Dawood,Chairman Task Force on Energy, Nadeem Babar, federal secretaries,Chairman OGRA, managing directors of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and  Sui Southern Gas Company and other officials.