Pipeline explosion uncovers oil theft

Initial probe unveils detailed plan by tenants of illegally constructed house

RAWALPINDI:

A recent incident involving the damage to three houses due to a fire and subsequent explosion in Rawalpindi’s Dhamial neighbourhood has unveiled a case of oil theft, revealing a clandestine operation tampering with a 10-inch diameter pipeline owned by Pakistan Oilfields Limited (POL). The pipeline supplied crude oil to a local oil refinery.

Just a day earlier, quick action by firefighters prevented a potential large-scale calamity near an oil refinery in the Jorian area of Dhamial neighbourhood. Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.

Preliminary investigations by experts and POL unveiled a sophisticated operation where suspects rented a house, dug a tunnel to the main pipeline, and siphoned crude oil through a 20-foot underground temporary pipe. The stolen oil was stored in an underground tank within the house.

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Saddar Beruni police filed charges against four suspects, including the house owner, following a complaint by POL Senior Executive Officer Admin Ashfaq Ali Nadeem. The charges include tampering with the main 10-inch diameter pipeline and oil theft.

Nadeem, the complainant, who is employed as a senior executive admin at POL, informed the police during the registration of the case that the company legally extracts crude oil and supplies it to the Attock Oil Refinery through a government-permitted pipeline. The pipeline passes through the Dhamial area, where illegal constructions on the right-of-way have been reported.

The FIR, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, revealed that a fire near the pipeline in the Jorian area led to the discovery of the suspects’ rented house. Accused individuals, including Raja Ghulam Mustafa, Muhammad Sarfaraz, Muhammad Aslam Sardar Tariq, and others, had allegedly dug a tunnel from the house and tampered with the 10-inch diameter pipeline.

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The suspects installed a concealed pipe from the company's main supply line, extending it 20 feet into the house, where they stole and stored crude oil. After receiving information, Rescue-1122 and Rawalpindi administration arrived at the scene. They successfully extinguished the fire and recovered a hidden 20-foot pipe and a clip attached to a crude oil pipeline, both seized into police custody. The police also confiscated 33 barrels of stolen crude oil stored in an underground tank.

The complainant revealed that the house owner, Muhammad Kabir, facilitated illegal constructions near the pipeline, allowing tenants to steal oil. The loss report indicated that 316 barrels of crude oil, valued at over Rs8.4 million, were stolen. Nadeem requested the police to conduct geo-fencing and adopt procedures to trace unidentified suspects. The company had also registered two cases of crude oil theft in the Dhamial police station, which might undergo investigation.

Police officials confirmed the registration of a case against the suspects, including charges of tampering with the pipeline, oil theft, and endangering local lives. Raids are ongoing to arrest the accused, and further investigation is under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2023.