Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Officials of a subsidiary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources have spent millions of rupees from the funds allocated for two major gas pipeline projects on their foreign tours.

The officials withdrew huge amounts from the funds earmarked for the Iran-Pakistan (IP) and Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline projects, says a report submitted to the petroleum minister that also recommends criminal proceedings against all these officials.

According to the report, now available with Daily Times, Petroleum Secretary Arshad Mirza was informed about the foreign tours of officials, but he did not take any action against the. The report has enraged Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and he has sought a report on foreign tours of these officials before initiating criminal proceedings against them.

The Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited (ISGS), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, spent the funds earmarked for the TAPI and IP gas pipeline on foreign visits of its officials, says the report prepared by the petroleum secretary.

According to the report, the federal government earmarked a heavy amount for policymaking on the TAPI and IP gas pipelines, which were expected to ease the energy crisis in Pakistan, but officials spent millions of rupees from this amount on their foreign visits.

“The officials of the Inter State Gas [Systems] started foreign trips soon after receiving funds for the TAPI and IP gas pipelines and spent Rs 23.860 million on them,” says the report. According to the report, officials did not even bother to seek No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the authorities concerned for their foreign visits. The report says that development work on the TAPI and IP gas projects has been delayed due to shortage of funds.

The Inter State Gas Systems was set up to develop a strategy to import gas to overcome gas shortage in Pakistan. It has made no achievement since its inception, but its senior officers have been linked to misappropriation of huge public fund in the name of gas import.

The report says that 14 officials of the Inter State Gas Systems have transferred more than Rs 100 million to their bank accounts in the name of gratuity and provident fund and Rs 4.2 million in the name of convenience allowance. This alleged corruption has resulted in delay in execution of the TAPI and IP gas pipeline projects.

The petroleum secretary did not issue any charge sheet or take any disciplinary action against these officials despite availability of documentary evidence of this alleged corruption.

When contacted, the spokesman for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources refused to comment on the issue.

It is pertinent to mention here that the auditor general of Pakistan has already declared Petroleum Secretary Arshad Mirza a tax evader.