SSGCL fails to recover Rs 119.5 million on account of gas-theft

The Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) has failed to recover Rs 119.5 million on account of gas theft from various consumers since 2006. The officials of the Auditor General of Pakistan revealed this during a briefing to the sub-committee of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which met here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Rana Afzal Hussian to review the audit objections of 2006-07 of the Ministry of Petroleum and attached departments.
The audit officials stated that in 2005 and 2006, a total of 282 cases of gas theft were registered, which caused Rs 138 million loss to the national kitty. They said that the people involved in gas theft instead of paying the amount to SSGCL knocked the doors of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and so far majority of the cases are pending with the court.
Hussian directed the officials of gas utility to make an attempt to contact the Chief Justice SHC to request him to direct officials concerned for the early court hearings in the cases related to gas thefts for recovery of huge amount from gas thieves.