KARACHI: Pakistan’s two major provinces on Thursday bickered over the natural gas connection policy. Sindh, the largest gas producing province, threatened Islamabad it would shut down the supplies if its quota was not restored
The threat followed a day after the federal cabinet lifted a six-year ban on providing new gas connections, a lucrative tool to appease the public to win their favour and votes in the upcoming elections.
Reacting to the policy, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his address to the provincial assembly said that all the gas supplies would be cut off if Sindh did not get enough gas. He further said that the head offices of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) were located in Karachi and they would take over the administration of the company if the need arose.
He said that though his province contributed 70 per cent of the total gas supplies in the country, gas supply to Karachi was at its worst. Shah said that for the past four months SSGC was not providing the required gas in the province.
The chief minister referred to the case of a 100-megawatt power plant at the Nooridabad industrial estate, saying though the plant had been completed many months ago SSGC was not supplying gas for even the trial run of the power plant.
“I warn the federal government that if the gas supply situation is not improved by this week then we would cut off the main gas pipeline,” he told the provincial assembly.
He also threatened to “run over” the SSGC head office.
Rana Sanullah, Punjab law minister, retorted that the Sindh chief minister had no power to close down the gas supplies and he were using such tactics to cover up the corruption in his province.
The Punjab minister said that if Sindh followed up on its threat, it would be tantamount to cutting their nose to spite their face.
Khursheed Shah, opposition leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in the national assembly, said that the natural gas belonged to Sindh but 60 per cent of it was being utilised by Punjab.
The opposition leader also said Islamabad was also not giving the due share of water to Sindh and the peasants of the province were om the verge of death.
He reiterated that if the issues were not addressed they would be compelled to take to the streets to get justice.
Miftah Ismail, chairman of SSGC and investment minister, however, said that he was ready to address the grievances of the Sindh government.
Replying to a point of Sindh chief minister regarding delay in the gas supply to a power plant in Nooriabad industrial district, Ismail said that he was aware of the issue. He further said that the gas supply to the 100-megawatt power plant would begin as soon as the bank guarantee was furnished.
