Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sought from the ministry of petroleum the complete record of beneficiaries, including companies and persons of LPG quota, during the Musharraf regime.

PAC members have said that LPG leaks when come to open will stir a storm as certain dignified figures have minted money from the LPG quota.

PAC met under Syed Khurshid Shah at the parliament house to review audit objections against the ministry of petroleum for the financial year 2013-14.

It was disclosed during the meeting that gas companies collect billion of rupees from consumers under LPS but pay nothing to OGDCL. This way both the companies have been directed to make payment of Rs 100 billion.

Member Ashiq Gopang said how the companies devour the money collected from the poor people. “We will not allow it,” he remarked.

Managing Director OGDCL disclosed that gas companies include late payment charges into circular debt. PAC directed that matter of payment of Rs 100 billion be presented before OGDCL Board and be resolved.

Secretary petroleum told a sum of Rs 180 billion have been collected under gas infrastructure cess and this amount has been shelved by finance ministry. Summary has been forwarded to the ministry of finance to obtain funds for laying gas pipelines.

PAC has ordered the secretary petroleum over Rs 100 billion which have been collected under GIC be not spent on any other projects otherwise parliament would take action.

PAC also directed that special audit of purchases made out of funds over Rs 120 billion in OGDCL during the last 15 years be got conducted and PEPRA rules be followed in future purchases.

MD OGDCL said that daily production of LPG stands at 425 million ton and Walk Gas, Sun gas and Cap gas companies are acquiring 47 million tone production from Adhi Kot field daily and the remaining has been deregulated.

PAC was told that loss amounting to Rs 1.22 billion had been inflicted on the national kitty by awarding contract of LPG to JJVL.

PAC has also ordered for a probe into massive corruption in Kannar Oil Field. It has been quoted in the report that 100 tons LPG quota enmassed from Boby oil field, 26 lot from Kanar Oil field and 10 lot from Adhi oil field was provided to a favourite company in a non transparent manner during the PPP regime. This way colossal financial loss running into billion of rupees has been caused to the national exchequer.

PAC has also ordered that responsibility of running the publicity campaign of Rs 70 million in thr ministry of petroleum during the Musharraf regime be also fixed. The Secretary said a detailed report would be presented within a month.

PAC also observed that the responsibility for conducting inquiry into billion of rupees corruption rests with the ministry of petroleum and if the secretary petroleum was sincere with the nation then he could identify corrupt ministers and officers and furnish his report within an hour.

PAC also said that non identifying the corrupt elements with the passage of every year reveals that corrupt elements of the ministry of petroleum were protecting corrupt officers.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Rashid, Azra Palejo, Naveed Qamar, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Junaid Chaudhry, Abdul Mannan, Shafqat Mehmood, Rana Afzal, Shahida Akhtar Ali, Raja Javed Ikhlas, senior officers of the ministry of petroleum and heads of the subordinate departments of the ministry of petroleum.