Gas losses: Trade body holds OGRA responsible

Increasing limit of UFG on the behest of gas utilities and Ogra amounts to patronising the gas thieves

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Patron Dr Shahid Rasheed Butt on Tuesday said the business community will never allow holding masses responsible for losses of gas companies.“Increasing limit of unaccounted for gas (UFG) on the behest of gas utilities and Ogra amounts to patronising the gas thieves,” he said. The veteran businessman said that increase in the UFG cap has never helped except for encouraging gas officials to boost their illegitimate income, he said. Butt said that around 17% of the SNGPL network consists of high pressure pipelines while 83% is made of low pressure that gives an excellent excuse of leakages in the gas distribution chain. He said that Ogra seems to be catering for the interests of elite. In the past, the regulator increased UFG ceiling by 2% for just 16 days giving benefit of tens of billions to the influential shareholders of gas companies.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2015.

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