PHC directs SNGPL, ministry to supply gas to Swabi villages

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to provide natural gas to around two dozen villages of NA-13 Swabi district within 30 days.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ikramullah Khan disposed of the contempt of court petition, with direction to SNGPL, principal secretary to prime minister and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources to comply with the court decision about provision of natural gas to NA-13 of Swabi district within 30 days.

The court passed the direction in a contempt petition of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Member of National Assembly Aqibullah Khan through his lawyer Sabitullah Khan Khalil.

The lawyer submitted that the high court more than one year ago had passed an order, directing the SNGPL and federal government to provide natural gas, but the court’s order was not complied with, and thus they committed contempt of court. Salim Baig and Zahir Shah advocates appeared for the SNGPL in the case.

In the decision, the court observed that under Article 158 of the Constitution, it was the government’s constitutional duty to provide natural gas first to the citizens of the province and then supply it to other provinces.

The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the SNGPL in 2013 had prepared the cost estimate of Rs600 million for providing natural gas to various localities of NA-13.

He stated that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had already paid an amount of Rs50 million to the SNGPL for provision of the natural gas to the areas and the provincial government had agreed to pay the remaining amount, but the authorities concerned did not supply the gas.