ISLAMABAD – The state-owned Sui gas companies have failed to implement the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s 23 years outdated directive and the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan concerning the availability of pure gas to all localities located inside a five-kilometre radius of gas-producing fields.
A gathering of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum, held underneath the chairmanship of the Convener of the Sub-Committee Senator Jam Saifullah Khan, performed a evaluation of the persistent failure over the previous twenty years to implement the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s directive dated fifteenth September, 2003 and the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan concerning the availability of pure gas to all localities located inside a five-kilometre radius of gas-producing fields. The Sub-Committee examined the explanations behind the extended non-compliance, sought to determine these accountable, and deliberated on sensible measures to make sure the expeditious and time-bound implementation of those directives.
Senator Jam Saifullah Khan noticed that regardless of clear instructions from each the Prime Minister and the Supreme Court, the coverage has not been carried out. Officers knowledgeable the committee that throughout the Prime Minister’s go to to Dadu on the inauguration of a gas discovery, the Prime Minister had directed that each one villages and localities inside a five-kilometre radius of gas fields ought to be supplied with pure gas. This precept was subsequently declared relevant to all gas-producing fields in Pakistan.
The committee was knowledgeable that in 2008, the Financial Coordination Committee (ECC) permitted revised per-consumer price standards for gas provide schemes throughout the five-kilometre radius of gas fields with the associated fee in Punjab and Sindh at Rs54,000 per shopper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rs108,000 per shopper and Balochistan Rs270,000 per shopper. Each gas utility companies, SSGC and SNGPL, put together growth schemes in accordance with these price standards. Expenditures exceeding the permitted limits had been beforehand financed by the Public Sector Growth Programme (PSDP) underneath the Prime Minister’s directives. Nevertheless, the federal authorities discontinued block funding for gas growth schemes within the PSDP from the monetary 12 months 2013-14 onwards.
The committee was additional knowledgeable that the Supreme Court of Pakistan, in its judgment dated twenty seventh December, 2013, directed the then Ministry of Petroleum and Pure Sources to implement the Prime Minister’s directive in accordance with the regulation and guarantee precedence gas provide to all villages and localities located inside 5 kilometres of each gas subject. To implement the Supreme Court’s judgment, each SSGC and SNGPL had been instructed throughout the monetary 12 months 2020-21 to conduct detailed surveys of the remaining villages throughout the prescribed radius. Subsequently, the companies ready growth schemes in varied phases.
SSGC developed eight phases of tasks with a complete estimated price of Rs5.946 billion, of which Rs5.017 billion was to be financed by the federal authorities. Though funding for the primary 4 phases was offered by the PSDP up to FY2025, no allocation was made within the PSDP for FY2026. Equally, SNGPL ready six phases of growth schemes with a complete price of Rs5.544 billion, requiring Rs3.908 billion from the federal authorities. Nevertheless, solely Rs100 million was allotted, stopping significant progress on the tasks. The committee was knowledgeable that gas provide tasks underneath 5km coverage are exempt from the moratorium imposed on enlargement of the gas pipeline community. Nevertheless, due to the absence of PSDP funding and uncertainty concerning future federal monetary assist, consideration could also be given to financing these schemes by the event budgets of the respective provincial governments.
The convener directed that complete surveys of all newly found gas fields be accomplished and experiences submitted to the Committee.
Officers of SNGPL knowledgeable the committee that gas has already been offered to native populations round gas-producing fields in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They additional acknowledged that surveys of newly found gas reserves in Waziristan have been accomplished and the report has been submitted to the Ministry of Petroleum.
The deputy commissioner Ghotki knowledgeable the committee that quite a few complaints had been obtained from native residents concerning the non-provision of gas connections. He acknowledged that no gas connections had been offered in Mari, whereas solely restricted connections had been put in in Qadirpur.
The secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, who participated by video hyperlink, was directed to convene all related establishments, determine the explanations for the failure to implement the Prime Minister’s directive and the Supreme Court’s orders, and submit a complete report to the Committee inside 15 days.
The Sub-Committee additionally determined to summon officers from the Ministries of Finance, Planning and Petroleum, OGRA, and different related organizations in its subsequent assembly to undertake an in depth evaluation of the problem.
The convener acknowledged that each one different involved organizations, would collectively develop an efficient mechanism to guarantee full implementation of the Prime Minister’s directive and the Supreme Court’s judgment, whereas guaranteeing gas provide to deserving native communities.
