PHC seeks reply from federal govt

Gas supply to Thall Tehsil

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday in a writ petition filed for provision of natural gas to the Thall tehsil of the Hangu district directed the federal government to submit reply before the next hearing.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Roohul Amin Khan issued the notice to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to submit reply before next hearing otherwise secretary Petroleum would appear on the next hearing.

Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash, who has filed the petition, stated in the petition that the natural gas has been supplied from the area to other parts of the province, but the residents of Thall were deprived of the facility. The petitioner’s lawyer, Abdul Latif Afridi, submitted before the bench that natural gas is being produced in Thall area at a large scale.

He said the prime minister during his visit had announced provision of gas to area, but the government had not honoured the decision.The lawyer said that under Article 158 of Constitution it was the government’s constitutional duty to provide gas to the area where it was being produced.

The petitioner claimed that the federal government had spent Rs42 billion for supply of gas from the area to Punjab province and the residents of Thall were deprived of their constitutional right to get natural gas.