LNG import: Sindh CM terms move unconstitutional

Asks centre to immediately stop imports, refer matter to the CCI.

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has asked the federal government to immediately stop the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and refer the matter to the Council of Common Interests (CCI) for a decision, otherwise, the provincial government will approach the Supreme Court.

The Sindh government has already decided to exercise the right over its natural resources by invoking Article 158 of the constitution and is seeking priority in utilisation of natural gas produced in the province.

Speaking at a press conference along with Sindh Finance Minister Murad Ali Shah and Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon at the Chief Minister’s House on Friday, Shah said, “A shipment carrying LNG has arrived at the Port Qasim; the federal government at no stage consulted the Sindh government on the import, transmission, health safety, environment, pricing and traffic.”

“We fear that the PML-N government wants to utilise LNG in Sindh and supply it to industrial, commercial, domestic, power generation and fertiliser consumers, who would have to pay extra for the gas. This will badly affect the consumers, therefore, we are opposing the decision,” the chief minister said.

The chief minister said it was supposed to be decided at the CCI meeting where all provincial governments had equal representation, but the federal government made the major decision through the approval of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the cabinet committee.

“It is an unconstitutional decision on the part of the federal government,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 28^th, 2015.

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