At its source: K-P troubled by rumours of reduction in gas share

Writes to Centre demand clarification

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has sent a letter to the federal government, threatening protests against any move to curtail the province’s share of gas.

Sources in the provincial government said the K-P Energy and Power department has sent a letter to the Federal Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources in Islamabad, asking it to clarify its position on reports claiming a reduction in the province’s share of natural gas.

A copy of the report published in an Urdu daily was attached with a letter and sent to the federal ministry on Monday.

A senior official of the energy department, requesting anonymity, said, “We have asked the federal government to clarify.”

He elaborated on a news item which claimed the federal government was cutting K-P’s share in natural gas and altering the distribution formula among provinces.

The official added the government was possibly making this move to tackle the gas shortage in Punjab and the new policy would be presented for approval at the Council of Common Interest.

“We will protest at every forum and not let the federal government snatch our share.” The source pointed out preference had to be given to K-P under Article 158 of the Constitution of Pakistan as it was a gas-producing province.

The letter also quoted Article 158 of the Constitution, saying, “The Province in which a wellhead of natural gas is situated shall have precedence over other parts of Pakistan in meeting the requirements from that wellhead,
subject to the commitments and obligations on the commencing day.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd,  2016.