SSGC employees get shares under BESOS: summary seeking removal of GST on LPG import to be submitted to Cabinet next week, says Dr Asim

Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain on Saturday said that summary for the removal of general sales tax on the import of LPG in the country will be submitted in the Cabinet next week. The minister also said a roadmap to resolve the issue of acute gas shortage in the country would be presented in six months.
Talking to media at the ceremony of SSGC share distribution among the officers and employees under "Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (BESOS)," here, the minister said they are preparing a roadmap to resolve gas shortage issue in the country. The roadmap to be given in next six months would enable the country to get the required gas in three to five years.
He said the country is facing an acute shortage of gas in current winter season. "We are taking various steps to address this issue," he said. Giving details about gas shortfall, he said the current gas production in the country was 4.2bcfd against the total demand of 6bcfd. He said there is a shortfall of 1.8bcfd in the country. "We would be able to reduce 25 percent of the current gas shortage in the next six months through short-term measures," he said.
The minister asked the gas marketing companies to make efforts to reduce unaccounted for gas (UFG) or line losses by at least two percent. The country is facing loss of 300 to 500 mmcf gas per day on the current line losses level. Regarding the security of the gas pipelines mainly in Sui area, the minister pointed out that the currently developed Sui Levies are being deployed for the protection of gas installations.
Earlier, speaking at the share distribution ceremony, the minister said the government is committed to taking every step for the betterment of the country and for the welfare of the people. He said the distribution of 12 percent shares of various public sector companies among their employees was a historic decision of the current democratic government.
The minister directed the SSGC management to resolve the issues of regularisation and salaries of daily wages and recently reinstated employees of the company. PPP Karachi Division President Senator Faisal Raza Abedi said PPP government is committed to serving the people of the country. "We are here to deliver more for the welfare of the masses of the country," he said.
He pointed out that PPP government has regularised some 47,000 daily wage employees of different public sector entities during last few months. He said work to regularise different katchi abadis has been initiated in Karachi. He pointed out that a total of 1200 katchi abadis would be regularised and 15 million people would be benefited from this scheme.
Azeem Iqbal, Managing Director SSGC congratulated all the employees of the company who got their shares certificate. "Now all the employees are owners of the company," he said and asked them to work with more dedication and commitment for the progress of the company. Later, the minister distributed share certificates among the SSGC employees.