Dangerous line of work: SNGPL official injured while disassembling illegal connection

Residents had illegally connected a pipeline from the main Karak-DI Khan gas line.

KARAK: Bearing the brunt of a populace that sees no wrong with stealing gas, an official of the Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) was injured when the company dared to right the wrong in Tapi Kandi area of Karak on Friday.

Karak Deputy Commissioner (DC) Aqal Badshah, while talking to journalists, explained that on Thursday evening, SNGPL officials spotted an illegal connection from the main gas supply line from Karak to DI Khan, feeding Tapi Kandi, Kandi Khadi Khel and Kandi Baji Khel.



Badshah said the connection was attached to the main line supplying liquid gas to DI Khan and could have resulted in a catastrophe which is why a special team was directed to visit the site and disconnect the line. He added that on Friday, while trying to dismantle the illegal connection, hundreds of residents blocked Indus Highway in Balan Zain area of Karak and started pelting SNGPL officials with stones. One staffer was injured and shifted to DHQ Hospital where he was administered first aid.

The DC said a heavy contingent of police was deployed at the site afterwards and SNGPL workers stopped their work at the supply line. After the incident, a 16-member committee led by elders Maulana Amir Zakim, Haji Sanab Gul and Noor Ahmad Khan started negotiations with SNGPL, the DC, and the DPO, along with other officials and decided to dismantle the illegal connection.

The DC said the illegal connection was disconnected and gas supply to DI Khan would be disconnected for a while as a result of work on the pipeline.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2014.