50 percent share transfer to Balochistan: PPL meeting to be convened for review

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources would convene Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) board meeting to review the company's 50 percent share transfer to Balochistan and to re-exam the existing agreements with private oil and gas exploration companies to give more jobs to unemployed youth.
The lawmakers from Balochistan have warned the federal government if PPL's 50 percent share is not transferred to Balochistan under the 18th constitutional Amendment and local domicile holders faced neglect in jobs, they would move the court of law against any existing expansion plan or new exploration activities of federal government in oil and gas sector in Balochistan.
Senate Special Committee on petroleum and natural resources was constituted by the House to resolve these issues between federal government and Balochistan in the light of 18th constitutional amendment. The high profile committee was headed by Senator Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari. The committee on Monday observed that government's quota policy and instructions were contradictory, which deprived the youth of province from jobs.
Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources categorically said that quota could not be observed in jobs in Balochistan in case local people on exploration site would be given preference. He added that international and local private companies could not be forced to employ the locals where exploration activities were taking place under existing agreements.
Lawmakers from Balochistan, Senator Dr Abdul Malik and Senator Shahid Hassan Bugti informed the House that government agreed to provide 50 percent share on all natural deposits of province but province did not receive any share out of government's 70 percent holdings in PPL. They further alleged that the representation of Balochistan at top level management of PPL was zero. Dr Abdul Malik reiterated that court of law would be approached to stop seismic survey and deep drilling in Sui by PPL, if their demands were not met as per constitution of Pakistan.
He further said that Balochistan had been producing 35,000 fresh graduates annually but they were not receiving high level jobs in their own province. Government must introduce more friendly recruitment policies for youths. Chairman committee in its ruling directed the ministry to review the existing and new contract with private oil and gas exploration companies with an aim at to incorporate a new provision which bound them to take locals from the localities near the exploration sites for jobs.
He further directed the ministry to call the board meeting of PPL to review the company's law in the light of 18th constitutional amendments and present their recommendations to government so that province would be given its rights. Province-wise break-up of existing management of PPL, Punjab and Sindh domicile holders were 254 and 602 against 91 from Balochistan. Lawmakers from Balochistan alleged that the share of Punjab in gas production was 5 percent and 22 percent in oil much lower than Balochistan but their share in top level management was 25 percent.