ISGS MD’s name removed from ECL

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Interior has excluded the name of Managing Director of Inter State Gas System Mobin Saulat from Exit Control List (ECL) so that Pakistan could effectively be represented in Turkmenistan on TAPI and in Russia on offshore and on shore gas lines.

The Interior Ministry excluded his name from ECL on the request of Petroleum Division seeking removal of his name for participation in crucial Board meeting in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on TAPI gas line where in the top officials from India, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan would also take part in the meeting.

The meeting scheduled from May 17 and will last for 4 working days. Mobin Saulat is currently facing the NAB investigation in the case of alleged award of contract for Pakistan’s first LNG terminal to Engro. NAB, earlier, got included his name in the ECL knowing the fact his role was limited to the coordination between the government’s entities involved in the procedure pertaining to awarding the contract of LNG terminal.

Spokesman of Petroleum Division Additional Secretary Sher Afgan confirmed the development saying that Mobin Saulat’s name has been omitted from ECL till June 30, 2019.

Mobin Saulat, when contacted, also confirmed, saying that Interior Ministry has omitted his name till June 30. He said in the month of June he will also participate in the important meeting of Russian initiative under which it is going to lay down gas pipeline under the sea starting from Middle East to India and then to Bangladesh passing through Pakistan’s sea territory.Under the proposed plan, Pakistan and India will get the gas by laying down their respective spur pipelines connecting the Russian gas line under sea. Apart from it, Saulat will also take up the North-South gas line and finalise the way forward to materialise this project.