KARACHI: The Sindh government on Saturday wrote a letter to Federal Minister Hammad Azhar, expressing its anger over what it called the ‘injustice’ in the matter of supplying gas to the province, reminding him that the constitution provides the first right to the province which is producing the very resource.
In its letter, the Sindh government lodged a strong protest with the federal government, saying that injustice was being meted out to the province in the supply of gas. It said that if the Centre did not have the ability to effectively run the Sui Southern Gas Company then it could hand over the same to the Sindh government. “The provincial government would show the energy minister how to produce gas and distribute it, correctly.”
The letter says that despite the fact that Sindh produces gas, it is deprived of it. Article 158-2 III grants the first right of use of the resource to the producing province. “For the last three years, the federal government has been looting Sindh’s gas share.”
The letter further says that the Karachiites have been facing difficulties due to gas closure and its low pressure since November last. Office people and schoolchildren have to leave their houses without breakfast. Many citizens are forced to burn wood, coal and use cylinders to cook food which is causing them health problems.
For the last two months, the CNG sector in the province has been shut which is rendering thousands of daily wagers jobless. The CNG closure has put a stop to the rickshaw, taxi and public transport business, the letter continued.
“The industrial wheel has also been obstructed and thousands of labourers have been laid off. Moreover, factories are unable to fulfil their orders and country is losing foreign exchange.”
The letter reminds the energy minister that since the Constitution of Pakistan gives preferential right to the resource-producing province that’s why Sindh demands its rightful share of gas.
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