Local residents in Balochistan: Panel directs gas cos to ensure 6pc employment quota

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Thursday directed the gas production and distribution companies to ensure of six percent employment quota for the local people of Balochistan, besides the provision of gas to the local people.

The National Assembly’s Special Committee on Balochistan met under the chairmanship of Deputy Speaker Zahid Akram Durrani.

Deliberating upon ensuring employment of the local people, the committee, unanimously, directed to ensure the implementation of six percent employment quota for the local people of Balochistan.

The committee also directed the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGL), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL),and other companies to submit a report on six percent quota within a week.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Speaker Durrani said that the first right on natural resources belong to the local population. On the same formula, he added that gas supply should also be ensured to locals in North Waziristan and Lakki Marwat.

While deliberating upon the provision of gas within five kilometres radius of the field, the committee directed the secretary petroleum and gas to complete the survey in a radius of five kilometres in all the fields and submit a report to the committee within a week.

The committee also directed to conduct a survey for gas supply within five kilometres of all gas fields including Jhal Magsi, Sui, North Waziristan, and Lakki Marwat.

The committee also unanimously issued a directive to resolve the issue of unused land in Dera Bugti gas fields at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the committee directed to pay compensation for the land of gas fields of Dera Bugti within 10 days and to re-survey the Dera Bugti gas fields and submit a report within a month.

Federal ministers, Khurshid Shah, Shah Zain Bugti, Muhammad Israr Tareen, and PAC Chairman Noor Alam Khan, Members of National Assembly Ramesh Lal, Sardar Riaz Mehmood Mazari, Khalid Hussain Magsi, Professor Dr Shahnaz Baloch, and Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhary also participated in the meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023