SNGPL officials summoned over gas loadshedding

PESHAWAR: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday issued a notice and sought a reply from the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) officials for natural gas loadshedding on the outskirts of the provincial capital.

The bench comprising Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Waqar Ahmad heard the writ petition filed by the residents of two villages in Peshawar. The lawyers Farhan Khan, Mohsin Kamran and Mohammad Attique appeared for the petitioners. They told the court that the SNGPL officials often suspended gas supply to Kalakhel, Lalazar and other areas in Peshawar. They argued that under Article 158 of the Constitution, it was the right of the local people over the use of the natural gas from where it was being produced. The lawyers said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was producing surplus gas, but its residents were facing acute shortage of the community during the winters. They said that the government had closed down the CNG stations in Peshawar but despite that the domestic consumers were facing severe gas loadshedding. The lawyers said that the families faced problems with cooking breakfast for the children going to schools. They said that the SNGPL officials were hand-in-glove with the industrialists and were supplying gas to industries. The court was told that the residents of Peshawar had requested the SNGPL authorities through repeated requests to ensure the gas supply but to no avail. The court was also informed about the low gas pressure. After hearing the arguments, the court issued a notice to the SNGPL officials and directed them to submit a reply in the case.