NA told: Minister counts 865 depts among gas defaulters

High-level meetings are being arranged to settle the outstanding gas arrears, says minister.

ISLAMABAD:

Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi informed the National Assembly on Thursday that the federal ministries, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy and Capital Development Authority (CDA) are among top gas defaulters.

Around Rs162 million in dues are outstanding against more than 865 federal government departments and individuals, the minister revealed in his written reply to the Parliament. He was responding to a question by MNA Sahibzada Tariqullah of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan.

The ministry said that notices have been issued and periodic meetings are being arranged at a high-level to settle the outstanding gas arrears.



The CDA stands on top of the list of defaulters who have to pay millions of rupees to Sui Southern Gas Pipeline Limited and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) owing Rs47 million to the SSGPL.

Similarly, Pakistan Army is a gas defaulter of around Rs11.4 million while Pakistan Navy has to pay a sum of Rs1.1 million to gas regulators against its outstanding dues.

Surprisingly, Major General Shujaat Zamir Dar is also a gas defaulter of Rs59,478, Khaqan Abbasi told the National Assembly.

Pakistan Air Force is a defaulter of Rs101,115 while the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) owes Rs210,360 to gas utilities.

Wing Commander Sohail Kausar Butt, Squadron Leader Muhammad Tariq and Wing Commander (retd) Mubashir Naqvi of Pakistan Air Force are also among defaulters.

Squadron Leader Tariq has to pay Rs31,461, Wing Commander Butt Rs3,580 and Wing Commander (retd) Naqvi owes Rs45,301 to gas companies.

Bills worth Rs4.4 million also remain unpaid against Pakistan Works Department. Federal government’s hospitals have also been included in the list of gas defaulters as bills amounting to Rs9.3 million are pending against them.

The federal government’s police owe Rs1,581,741 to SNGPL, educational institutions have to pay Rs1 million to the gas utilities. Various departments of federal government in Balochistan are defaulters as they owe Rs13 million to SNGPL.

Among other defaulters are autonomous bodies under federal government such as Karachi Port Trust (KPT) which is required to pay Rs100,433, Petroleum and Natural Resources Rs1.2 million, Railways and Communication Rs322,096, Post Offices Rs299,387 and telegraph/telephone body owe Rs96,144.

ECP owes Rs1.1b to Military, NADRA

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed also informed the National Assembly that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has to pay more than one billion rupees to Pakistan Army and the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA)

The ECP has to pay this debt to NADRA and Pakistan Army on account of their services in holding the May 11 general elections. The reason behind this debt, the minister added, was that the Finance Ministry was not releasing funds to the ECP.

The ECP is supposed to pay Rs280 million to General Headquarter, Rawalpindi, Rs830 million will be paid to NADRA on verification of voters’ lists. The ECP spent over Rs4 billion on conducting general elections this year. The minister told lawmakers that electronic system will be exercised in the next general elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2013.