Senate body for recovery of Rs445bn gas charges

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum Division chairman Muhammad Abdul Qadar on Monday observed that progress should be made on the recovery of Rs445 billion gas charges from different organisations.

Presiding over a meeting of the standing committee, Senator Abdul Qadar pointed out that Rs 171 billion were to be recovered only from the fertiliser sector. An official of the Petroleum Division informed the meeting that the sector was using 20pc natural gas available in the country. The Petroleum Division secretary said that instead of giving gas to the industry, it should be used for the generation of electricity. “If natural gas is given to the power sector, then 70 percent cheaper electricity can be generated as is practised in other countries of the world,” he maintained.

The meeting was informed that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and the Balochistan government had not been able to reach a lease agreement for land in the province. There was also no consensus between the two sides on terms of references (ToRs) of the agreement. However, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has recruited seven engineers from Balochistan.

The chairman summoned the Energy Division secretary and the Balochistan chief secretary to resolve the issue. The meeting was informed that a feasibility report of Jandran would be completed by March 30, while there were some security issues in Sarona and for that purpose, a meeting with the Balochistan Frontier Corps inspector general was scheduled for March 14. However, there would be significant progress with regard to the provision of gas in Jhal Magsi by June or July, this year, it was informed.