Mysterious disappearance: In Pindi, gas meters pull a Houdini

Locals suspect gas company staffers’ complicity; police investigating.

RAWALPINDI:

After enjoying a good monsoon night’s rest, the residents of Rehmatabad and Dhoke Munshi woke up to an unwanted surprise on Sunday morning — their gas meters were missing.

The gas meters of at least 38 houses were missing. The affected people protested against the security situation of the area, which falls in the jurisdiction of the Airport police.

The theft cases are on the rise in the locality. Residents cannot use gas without meters as it is not permitted under the laws, said Taj Abbasi a resident and former Nazim of Union Council 80 Rehmatabad.

“The residents have informed me that they saw two vehicles bearing the numbers of 1199 Gas Helpline in these areas on Saturday evening. Locals suspect the involvement of gas company staffers in the theft of meters,” Abbasi said. Sarfaraz Khan, another resident of the area, said the meters could only be reused for gas theft and illegal connections, which is not possible without the help of gas department officials.

The affected people complained to the Airport police that they had deposited all their gas bills and there were no outstanding charges pending against any complainant.

The Airport Police station house officer Waqar Nisar said the FIR had been registered on the complaint of Sarfaraz Khan and others. The police officer said that the complainants had attached paid gas bills to prove there was no reason for the gas department to take any such action against them.

On the possibility of the involvement of officials in the theft of meters, the SHO said it would be looked into closely during the investigations.

The Express Tribune contacted the Sui Northern Gas Company limited (SNGPL) consumer service on 1199 and learnt from a representative of SNGPL that they had not received any complaint about the missing meters.

Ali Tariq, the consumer officer on duty, said new meters would be issued after the consumers submitted a copy of the FIR to SNGPL.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2011.