PHOTO: REUTERS
The gas supply projects were initiated following the lifting of a years-long moratorium on new gas connections imposed in the wake of acute energy shortages.
In this regard, the premier has used his discretionary powers and approved the grant of Rs27 billion to parliamentarians, mostly belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) including ministers.
“Now, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources is seeking ex-post facto approval of the cabinet to ratify the measures taken to ease the restriction on new gas connections,” said a senior government official while talking to The Express Tribune.
The moratorium was imposed by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) during the tenure of previous Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government.
As the election year was approaching, the cabinet was also expected to lift the curbs on new gas connections for domestic consumers, the official said.
Though the entire country is facing energy scarcity, most of the gas schemes have been launched in Punjab, which is believed to be aimed at winning over support of the voters.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who is associated with the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, is also a beneficiary and has got funds for the provision of gas to different towns in his constituency in Abbottabad district.
Earlier when PPP’s Raja Pervez Ashraf was the prime minister, the apex court had held that the constitution did not allow any allocation of funds to the MNAs, MPAs and notables at the sole discretion of prime minister and chief minister. It called the practice illegal and unconstitutional.
Later, the present government went to the Supreme Court for a review of the decision, but the request was turned down.
According to officials of the Cabinet Division, the government had constituted a committee, headed by Hamza Shahbaz Sharif and comprising Captain (Retired) Safdar, Jam Kamal Khan and Dr Darshan, to examine various prime minister’s directives and the portfolio of Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
Following recommendations of the committee, the premier approved the release of funds for gas supply schemes, even for those which were put on hold during the PPP administration.
Safdar is a key beneficiary of the gas supply schemes. He has received Rs2.3 billion for his NA-21 constituency.
Other major beneficiary is Minister of Capital Administration and Development Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, who has received Rs2.5 billion for his NA-49 constituency.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi has got Rs1.4 billion indirect and Rs1.1 billion direct funding for NA-18 constituency in Abbottabad district.
Chaudhry Bilal Ahmed Virk, who heads the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, has received Rs2.7 billion for various localities in his NA-136 constituency in Sheikhupura district.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman has got Rs770 million for NA-24 constituency in Dera Ismail Khan.
Minister of Human Rights Kamran Michael has received Rs4 million for gas supply in Sheikhupura.
Other key beneficiaries include Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, MNA Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister of Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain, Minister of Housing and Works Akram Khan Durrani, Punjab Minister of Population Welfare Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, Minister of Kashmir Affairs Muhammad Barjees Tahir and State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2017.
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