PM orders inquiry against SNGPL, SSGCL MDs for showing incompetency, negligence

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday took notice of overall systematic failure of SNGPL and SSGCL, and directed an immediate inquiry against their managing directors for showing incompetency to deal with operational issues and negligence in concealing information about fault in gas compressors.

The prime minister instructed Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan to complete the inquiry and submit him the report within 72 hours.

The four-member fact finding committee, as directed by the prime minister, will be headed by Uzma Adil Khan, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Chairperson, and included Qazi Saleem Siddiqui, DG (PC), Shahid Yusaf, DG (Gas) and Imran Ahmed, DG (LG).

The prime minister instructed to further coordinate planning regarding demand and supply of gas so that the consumers could not face any hardship in that regard.

He was was chairing a high-level meeting about the arising crisis in natural gas supply to the people. Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan briefed the prime minister about the gas situation and the present crisis.

The prime minister was told that two main companies of gas supply, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), were responsible for the present gas crisis in the country. The two companies not only concealed facts regarding faulty compressors but also showed incompetency about estimate of demand of gas in the month of December.

About domestic production of gas, the meeting was told that presently total production of gas from south fields of the country was 1200 mmcfd, which was 800 mmcfd less than the last year’s production. Similarly, 50 mmcdf less gas was produced from Kunnar Pasaki and Gamat gas fields in north of the country as a result consumers in Karachi were faced with hardships in supply of gas.

The meeting was informed that consumers in north of country faced hardships in supply of gas owing to fault in compressors at Nawab Shah and Saran areas.

The prime minister was told that neither the SNGPL informed about real supply of gas in December nor the SSGC timely brought to the knowledge of government fault at the gas compressors.

About the steps being taken to control gas situation in the country, the prime minister was told that scheduled eight cargo ships of RLNG would reach Pakistan timely, besides efforts had been intensified to retain domestic gas production.

The prime minister was informed that despite decrease in domestic gas production and fault at gas compressors it had been ensured that the domestic consumers should not be affected. However, CNG stations and capto plants of some general industries were being faced hardships.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub, Special Assistant to the PM Iftikhar Durrani, Chairman Task Force for Energy Nadeem Babar, federal secretaries and other officials.