These officials were suspected to be involved in patronising gas theft, bribery, being owners of CNG stations, factories, meter tampering, selling of company material and taking monthly stipends from illegal gas users. PHOTO: FILE
As many as 121 mid to high-ranking officials of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) are allegedly involved in a corruption scandal worth billions of rupees, but are still working on lucrative positions without fear of accountability and action over wrongdoings, abuse of authority and corruption, The Express Tribune has learnt.
According to a document available, the officials include one former managing director, five senior general managers (SGM), seven general managers, one company secretary, six sales officers, one executive engineer, eight associate engineers, 42 superintendents, 12 sub engineers, eight assistants, 11 meter readers/inspectors, three foremen and 16 other technical staff. These officials were suspected to be involved in patronising gas theft, bribery, being owners of CNG stations, factories, meter tampering, selling of company material and taking monthly stipends from illegal gas users.
These alleged corrupt officials were identified during a campaign launched by the Punjab government after constituting a task force (TF) headed by Secretary industries, commerce and investment against electricity and gas theft since June 2013. In this exercise, theft of Rs5.045 billion gas in SNGPL infrastructure was detected.
Among the big names are former MD Rashid Lone, former SGM Pervaiz Aziz, SGM Imdad Hussain Khan, Ismael Paracha, Chaudhary Maqsood, Qadir Awan, GMs including Najeeb Ghazi, Azam Khan Wazir, Bilal Touseef, Nasir Quershi (who has fled the country), Muhammad Azam, Shahid Maqood and Shahid Aziz.
The TF constituted district committees, which conducted 5,480 raids in 33 districts and detected 1175 cases of gas pilferage on the spot. As many as 622 criminal cases under section of theft were registered and 615 persons were arrested red-handed on these charges. Out of total pilferage, Rs1.534 billion were detected in Lahore, Rs1.196 billion in Sheikhupura and Rs561.63 million in the Fasialabad district. Gas theft of Rs418 million was found in Gujranwala, Rs308 million in Multan, Rs295 million in Gujrat, Rs275 million in Kasur and Rs153 million in Rawalpindi.
Cases were registered against owners of various factories, mills, hotels, plazas, poultry farms, bakeries, petrol pumps, agriculture tubwells, commercial centres and CNG stations.
How these private citizens managed such large theft of gas without any recourse from SNGPL officials was a big question during the campaign, a senior official of TF said.
The document says that during the campaign, Civilian prime agency intelligence (Intelligence Bureau) submitted a list of 121 SNGPL officials to the chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Shairf over thewir involvement in gas theft. The same list was sent to the prime military intelligence agency (ISI) for counter verification. The second agency endorsed the list with the remarks that all officials were living beyond their means and using luxuries not possible in the salaries they were receiving. The agency further maintained that some of them were involved in other illegal activities as well.
Secretary industries, who was also chairperson of the TF, sent a summary to the chief minister over the report, with recommendations to send the list to Chairman Board of Directors SNGPL, Federal Investigation Agency and concerned ministry for initiation of action against and recovery of money they had looted. The chief minister observed that lists should be sent to chairman SNGPL and FIA for action against the corrupt officials without mentioning the source of information.
The list was sent to SNGPL chairman on December 13 with a request to initiate action against the suspect corrupt officials.
SNGPL Chairperson Mian Misbahur Rehman said a committee comprising three senior officials would be constituted for a preliminary inquiry of corruption charges and assessment of financial loss caused by officials. Then a six-member panel would review the committee’s recommendations to ensure justice and action.
Rehman confirmed receiving the list and said that action had not yet been taken against the alleged officials. Rehman said that the delinquents can be fired from their jobs.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2014.
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While corruption is rampant in our society and has become a mode of business rather than an exceptional occurrence, we cannot be driven by media reports, rumours and someone's opinion to implicate anyone. If the people are involved, let the law take its course. The best thing that can be done out of this is to create a clear procedure and appoint honest officials from within SNGPL to deal with this. Otherwise, the courts could be invovled too.
This is a brazen violation of the corporate and civil laws relating to employment and fraud. This takes place only when tribal traditions and biradari system is still operating with full force. Pakistan will continue to stagnate because its citizens refuse to accept discipline and education as a necessity of life. Salams
When the law-makers are criminals and PM himself was kicked off on 17th april, 1993 by the then army chief on corruption charges but again he became 3rd time PM what else is left. Zardari became president spending 10 years in Jail; Rehman Malik was kicked from FIA but later made head of highest civilian intelligence agency.Governor sindh is governor for the last 14 years despite murder charges.
This shows the rule of law in pakistan
I am sure it is same in all government departments or government owned and operated entities. Pakistan will benefit 1000's of time more by bringing all these people into accountability as compared to going after a single person to settle personal vendetta.
Great story! So the question is who is protected them? If Shabaz Sharif got a list of these criminals then what he did with it? His he covering them by not having them prosecuted? There must to special courts to expedite justice on these simpler cases.