ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary sub-committee Friday directed the government to disconnect all the illegal industrial gas connections in KP gas producing areas and shut down such industries immediately.
The injustice need to be stopped immediately as the local people are drinking water from stagnant ponds while industrialists are making billions, said convener of the Senate Sub Committee on Energy, Nisar Muhmmad Khan while presiding over the meeting of the committee. He demanded special gas tariff for the gas producing areas. If the provinces get the royalty according to their gas production it will remove the sense of deprivation of the federating units, he maintained. The committee discussed the issue of gas supply to the people living in five kilometer radius of gas producing areas and gas theft in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Senator Baz Muhammad Khan alleged that businessmen, who migrated from other provinces, have established industries in Karak and they are running with illegal gas connections. He demanded stern action against those industries. Senator Nisar said that it is the responsibility of local administration to separate local people from the outsiders.
Nisar Muhammad Khan asked to provide the complete details of the steps being taken for the removal of illegal gas connections to the industries. He said that illegal gas connections from the main pipeline were illegal but this is happening because the government has failed to fulfill its responsibilities.