Accountability: SNGPL workers strike against ‘victimisation of upright engineer’

Protesters reject corruption allegations against Engr Shaukat.

FAISALABAD:

Dozens of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) workers on Thursday announced a strike for indefinite period and boycotted work in protest against the arrest of a colleague in a corruption case.

A sit-in organised by members of SNGPL Staff Union and Executive Engineers Association was attended, among others, by Regional Manager Sibghatullah. Sibghatullah told The Express Tribune that the decision to boycott work was accepted by the management. “The (SNGPL) staff believes that Engr Shahid Shaukat is being victimised. The management acknowledges their right to protest and supports the boycott,” he said.

Engr Shaukat was arrested by the Federal Investigation Authority on February 7 from Lahore, where he had been posted following his role in disconnecting gas supply to Opposition Leader Raja Riaz’s factory over non-payment of dues.

Thursday’s sit-in was led by SNGPL Staff Union president Raja Iftikhar Ahmed Khan, general secy Rana Muhammad Aziz and Executive Engineers’ Association president Anwer Saleen. The protesters told The Tribune that the boycott would continue until charges against Shaukat were dropped. They said Shaukat was being victimised for “exposing Raja Riaz’s corruption”.

The protesters demanded immediate release of Engr Shaukat and vowed to continue their protest until the case was withdrawn.

They also burnt tyres and blocked Sargodha Road, halting traffic for several hours.

The strike also caused inconvenience to consumers who visited the office on Thursday with complaints.

Muhammad Azam, one such consumer, said he had been visiting the office for several days seeking correction in excessive gas bill. He said while the staff had earlier been asking him to visit later, on Thursday he was told that there was going to be an indefinite boycott of work.

Naeem Ahmad’s complaint of an excessive bill was also pending for several days, he said. “My gas bill for January contains dues I have already paid in December’s bill,” he said.

Remanded for two days

Talking to the media after a court hearing on Wednesday, Engr Shaukat had rejected corruption charges against him as false.

He said he would prove his innocence. He alleged that he had been tortured by FIA interrogators. Shaukat said that he had disconnected an illegal connection supplying gas to Raja Riaz’s factory, which he had cut off. “I have been punished for doing my job honestly,” he said.

Judicial Magistrate Nadeem Yousuf Warriach had on Wednesday remanded Shaukat in FIA’s custody for two days. He had directed the FIA to produce the suspect in court on February 10.

Shaukat was arrested under Sections 409/ of Pakistan Penal Code and 5/2/47 of Anti Corruption Act in a complaint filed by Muhammad Anwar, a resident of Iqbal Nagar.

The FIA accuses Shaukat of allowing an illegal commercial gas connection to a garments factory during a ban on new connections in return for a bribe.

Riaz rejected the impression that an illegal connection was supplying gas to his factory. He also denied any role either in Shaukat’s transfer and posting to Lahore or his arrest. He said there had been several complaints against the engineer.

The FIA, he said, had been investigating these complaints well before Shaukat disconnected supply to his factory.

Riaz said had obtained an extension in due date for payment for his gas bill as he could not clear the dues within the deadline owing to severe losses in business. He said a gas meter at his factory was removed by the engineer without any advance notice.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10^th, 2012.