ISLAMABAD: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had to bear over Rs 14 billion losses due to gas theft by the industry in Punjab during the last five years.
The documents submitted to the parliament by the SNGPL showed that the industrial community stole gas worth Rs 3,568 million in 2014 after an industrialist family took the reins of the government into its own hands.
The SNGPL is supplying gas to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as it is the sole gas distribution company in this region.
The documents showed that the power industry stole gas worth Rs 248 million in 2010. The textile and other industry pilfered gas worth Rs 245 million and CNG station owners pilfered gas worth Rs 126 million, but no action was taken against anyone. In 2011, the ruling class in Punjab stole gas worth Rs 1,052 million. In 2012, the elite in Punjab stole gas worth Rs 2,986 million. In 2015, industrialists stole gas worth Rs 871 million in connivance with SNGPL officials. In 2016, gas worth Rs 1,222 million has been stolen so far.
According to the documents, that Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have refused to pay Rs 94 billion tax. The power sector and 93 industrial units of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not paid gas infrastructure development cess and other taxes worth Rs 6,305 million.
