Govt intends to reimburse Rs2.8b before winter

Islamabad : The government has decided to reimburse an amount of Rs2.8 billion, charged additionally because of unusual pressure factor by the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), to gas consumers before the upcoming cold weather.

OGRA, after its calculation, had recommended that Rs2.8 billion were additionally charged from the consumers, and on this, we (the government) had issued directives for the reimbursement.

But, currently the matter is pending with a court, and as soon as the case is disposed of, the reimbursement will be made, a senior official privy to the petroleum sector developments told this agency.

He said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and SNGPL had been directed to get the case disposed of at the earliest.

The overcharged amount will be returned as the case is discharged, which we hope will be done before the coming winter.

Following the complaints of inflated gas bills, the government had ordered three inquiries including an internal, by a chartered accountants firm - AF Ferguson - and the PM’s Inspection team.