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Thursday March 28, 2024

NAB asked to probe oil, gas theft in Karak

By Israr Khan
April 05, 2017

KP govt, FIA request parliamentary panel to probe huge
theft of POL in KP that is not within their power

ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Tuesday asked the parliamentary panel on petroleum and natural resources to assign further investigation of billions of rupees oil and gas theft in Karak district to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that has more powerful laws regarding investigation and recovery from the culprits. 

“FIA has investigated various cases pertaining to the same issue. More than six-dozen FIRs have been lodged against the accused and they have also been investigated by the Agency and police, but as NAB has more potent laws regarding recovery, so it should be assigned this duty. Cases so far investigated by police and FIA be handed over to NAB who should be assigned to further investigate them,” the FIA official told the NA’s Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources that met here with MNA Bilal Ahmed Virk in the chair. 

Home Secretary KP Shakeel Qadir Khan also requested the committee to handover the investigation of the matter to NAB and we will fully cooperate with them. He added that KP government had made a similar request to NAB earlier and they had declined that theft as not within their jurisdiction. 

On the plea of the FIA and KP government, the committee decided to summon the NAB authorities in next meeting to discuss the issue and its legal implications. They however directed FIA and Home Secretary, KP to do their homework before such a meeting. 

Regarding oil and gas theft in Hangu and Karak districts, Home Secretary said that Police have raided on some illegal refineries in these districts and shut them down. On the other hand people of the areas had several time held protests, blocked the roads and even reached near the strategic installations protesting that the Hungarian MOL company was making money out of the area, but not benefiting the public of the area. He said that the MOL’s reply to the provincial government was, “it is not your [provincial government] jurisdiction.”

He said that strength of police in the area is meagre, as they are involved other security related issues in the province. We have requested federal government for FC, if allowed the security issue will improve significantly. 

Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, “There has been theft of gas worth 6-8 billions of rupees in these areas of KP every year. Writ of the government [provincial] doesn’t exist in these areas and is unable to control the theft.”

Abbasi blamed the provincial government that “There has been Rs10 million/hour gas theft in the areas. Even people have installed their power generators on gas and selling the electricity, while provincial government is least bothered about it.”

Later talking to media, Khaqan Abbasi said that there is no shortage of diesel or petrol in the country. “All storages are full, we have around 21-days of storage and even the fuel oil storage is more than the required. There is no apprehension of supply disruption against the backdrop of the oil tankers association’s strike and if there comes any hurdle it be solved.”

Group Regional Advisor MOL Group, Ali Murtaza Abbas said, “MOL Pakistan is the victim in this issue, and had itself highlighted the theft to the police. We have installed a state-of-the-art fibre optic system with highly sensitive acoustic abilities, where any movement near or on the pipelines would be detected immediately. This system is the only one of its kind in all of Asia. We welcome the Standing Committee to come and visit our facility and see our operations on ground. We have also put in place a comprehensive hydro-carbonmanaging system whereby all browsers are measured at special weighing bridges before and after the filling point, ensuring no pilferage.”

The official spokesperson from MOL Pakistan, Barrister Masroor Shah stated, “The general perception is that all protests taking place in District Karak, KP are against MOL Pakistan, when in fact the protests are focused on the low pressure or non-provision of gas, that are actually the responsibility of the government and not our company, as we are just the operators in the area.”

While considering the issues pertaining to grant of NOC by Pakistan State Oil (PSO) to the owners of the petrol pumps after expiry of their lease agreement. The committee members have shown their displeasure on the procedural delay of the PSO management. However, the MD, PSO informed the committee that PSO was doing its best for resolving such kind of problems. The Committee directed the MD for release of leased land of Iqbal Fuel, Wahdat Road, Lahore at the earliest. The General Manager, PSO ensured the Committee that needful would be done within one month. He further ensured that NOC in this regard would be issued unconditionally by PSO. The Committee also directed that delay of NOC matter for Abdullah Filling Station, should be resolved on priority basis.

Khaqan Abbasi informed the committee that KP government has not fulfilled its agreement for release of 10 percent funds from royalty collection to the protection of gas sector in KP. The Committee unanimously decided that legal experts from KP government and Federal Government would be called in the next meeting of the Committee to resolve the matter. Chairman of the Committee has shown its displeasure on the delaying tactics being used by the concerned.