4,700 illegal metres recovered from SNGPL’s store

Rawalpindi:The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has raided Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited's (SNGPL) headquarters in the Rawalpindi region and recovered 4,700 illegal metres from the un-count flow gas control (UFG) store.

The FIA has directed SNGPL (Rawalpindi Region) to submit a detailed record from 2015 to 2023 of the reconnection of meters because the concerned department has failed to stop un-count flow gas control in the region. The un-count flow gas control (UFG) means that there was no record of gas wastage. The SNGPL failed to stop (UFG) in the Rawalpindi region and eventually, consumers had to pay the price in the form of inflated bills and low to zero gas pressure. The residents of Rawalpindi region particularly the areas of Adiala Road, College Road, Raja Bazaar, Commercial Market, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Sixth Road, Double Road, Pindora, Jhanda Chichi, Gulistan Colony, Defence Road, Morgah and several other areas face lows to zero gas pressure in winter and summer as well.

Sui Northern Gas Pipe­lines Limited (SNGPL) Senior General Manager Syed Mukhtar Shah told ‘The News’ that they have submitted a complete record in FIA. The SNGPL officers also recorded their statements in Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), he claimed. He also said that we were continuously taking action against gas theft in the region. “We will never spare corrupt officers in SNGPL”, he warned.

The SNGPL did not take any kind of action against the recovery of illegal metres. The FIA team has taken all illegal metres in custody and directed all officers including Chief Engineer Akif Noor to appear before FIA with record for recording their detailed statements on this issue. The SNGPL also failed to shift metres on 16000 metres service line in the Rawalpindi region. The consumers have to face hell-like situations due to the irresponsible attitude of SNGPL in this regard.

Well-placed sources said that some officials of SNGPL were continuously installing residential and commercial meters despite a ban. The government banned new gas connections for over two years but influential people with the full backing of corrupt officers of SNGPL installed new connections continuously, whereas those who have already submitted their demand notice for over two years have been waiting for government orders, the sources claimed.