Issuance of CNG licences after ban: Ogra told to provide last 50 files

ISLAMABAD: The Sub-Committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources has directed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to provide last 50 files out of total 466 CNG stations that were issued licence during ban period i.e., 2008 onward.

The report of CNG station licences issued since 2008 was presented before the committee.

The committee learned that new licences were issued against the directives of Prime Minister, whereas Ogra was of the opinion that new licences were issued in according to PM orders.

Ogra Member Gas, Mansoor Muzafar, who levelled allegations of irregularities in CNG licences' issuance, changed his statement during the meeting, on which the committee ordered formal action against him.

The meeting of the sub-committee, held here on Wednesday with Sardar Talib Hassan Nakai in the chair, ordered Ogra authorities to submit files of last 50 cases to ascertain whether or not legal procedure was followed in this regard. He said action would be taken against Ogra officials if any discrepancies were found.

He said investigations were kick-started after Member Gas Mansoor Muzaffar had told the committee that irregularities had taken place in awarding licences. However, Mansoor backpedaled from his previous stance, saying his statement was wrong, as he was not cognizant of the complete situation. He said despite ban on issuance of new licences, the provisional licences will have to mature into marketing licences.

The chairman uf the committee, showing his anger over the u-turn of Mansoor, said that the official had misguided the committee by changing his statement. "We are not clear, as now all officials are claiming that there is no irregularity. However, the committee will proceed on case to case basis to determine the truth," he remarked.  Former Ogra chairman Munir Ahmad claimed that best international practices were adopted to make Ogra an independent body.

Committee member Shahnaz Sheikh said the chairman of Ogra had absolute powers and twisted rules for granting licences. However, she said he retired as chairman of Ogra in September 2008, while the licences were issued in 2009 and 2010. Nakai said all process for licensing was done in the light of his letters that he sent to the Prime Minister. Ahmad said he had sought only clarification from the PM on the ban and it was implemented as per the directives.

The committee also ordered checking of degrees of all Ogra officials... whether they met the criteria required against their present posts. Shahnaz demanded verification of degrees as ex-MD uf Ogra was ordered to be sacked by the Supreme Court after his degree was found to be fake. She said registrar of Ogra was working illegally and he did not even have the required law degree.