Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The industry in Punjab has allegedly stolen gas worth Rs 14 billion in last five years, according to the documents submitted by the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) to the parliament.

The industrial community stole gas worth Rs 3,568 million in 2014 after an industrialist family took the reins of the government into its own hands.

The SNGPL is supplying gas to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as it is the sole gas distribution company in this region. The company however has been facing gas theft challenge since its inception.

Thousands of poor people accused of gas theft are facing criminal charges, but the people of the elite class involved in gas theft are roaming freely. The documents submitted to the parliament by the SNGPL show that no industrialist has been convicted of gas theft and no senior SNGP officer has been suspended over gas theft so far.

According the sources, it requires technical know-how to steal gas; therefore, nobody can steal gas without SNGPL engineers or technical staff’s help. The documents show that the power industry stole gas worth Rs 248 million in 2010. The textile and other industry pilfered gas worth Rs 245 million and CNG station owners pilfered gas worth Rs 126 million, but no action was taken against anyone.

In 2011, the documents say, the ruling class in Punjab stole gas worth Rs 1,052 million. The power sector was held accountable for Rs 202 million gas theft, the textile sector and other industry for Rs 300 million gas theft and CNG stations for Rs 510 million gas theft.

In 2012, the elite in Punjab stole gas worth Rs 2,986 million – the power sector stole gas worth Rs 194 million, textile and other industry worth Rs 1,370 million and CNG stations worth Rs 1,418 million.

Dr Asim Hussain was the federal minister for petroleum and natural resources at that time. He is now languishing in jail on charges of corruption of billions of rupees.

In 2013, the elite class stole gas worth Rs 2,946 million. Documents show that this year the power sector stole gas worth Rs 83 million, textile and other industry stole gas worth Rs 1,654 million and CNG stations stole gas worth Rs 1,207 million. In 2014, the total cost of the gas stolen by the powerful elite was Rs 3,568 million. The documents say that this year the power sector stole gas worth Rs 70 million, the textile sector stole gas worth Rs 2,600 million and the CNG sector stole gas worth Rs 912 million.

In 2015, industrialists stole gas worth Rs 871 million in connivance with SNGPL officials – the power sector stole gas worth Rs 39 million, textile and other industry worth Rs 400 million and CNG stations worth Rs 460 million. A draft law against gas theft was tabled in the parliament the same year. The law recommended strict action against gas thieves and it helped curb gas theft significantly.

In 2016, gas worth Rs 1,222 million has been stolen so far. The gas theft increased after the anti-gas theft bill lapsed and the Nawaz Sharif government forgot to enact a law to curb gas theft. This year, the power sector has allegedly stolen gas worth Rs 152 million, textile and other industry worth Rs 840 million and CNG stations worth Rs 229 million.

The documents show that Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have refused to pay Rs 94 billion tax. The power sector and 93 industrial units of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not paid gas infrastructure development cess and other taxes worth Rs 6,305 million, 189 textile mills have defaulted on payment of gas cess worth Rs 1,2078 million and other industry has been accused of defaulting on tax worth Rs 7,396 million. The most privileged sector, which is CNG stations, has been accused of not paying taxes amounting to Rs 3,4787 million.

The sources in the SNGPL said the company had identified 2,490 defaulter industrial units and issued notices to them. According to the sources, the director general (gas) is primarily responsible for recovering taxes from the defaulters.