ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday informed the Senate that around Rs 6 to 8 billion losses had occurred due to gas theft in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During the question-hour, he said that unaccounted for gas (UFG) constituted 10 percent of the total gas supply while as per international standard it should be 5.5 percent.
He said total annual gas theft and technical losses were around Rs 30 billion.
He said that Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had launched an extensive campaign against gas theft and unearthed number of cases. These cases are at different stages of investigation in police department and trail in courts, he added.
The minister said that Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has also helped the company and significant number of gas pilferers has been apprehended.
He said that a project for supply of gas to village Kot Awan Dakhhli Bahi Khan along-with other village was approved by the Prime Minister on January 2013.
Abbasi said total distribution network required to be laid for provision of gas to the above village was 6.60 kilometers at a cost of Rs 11.264 million.
He said that till date the SNGPL had sanctioned Rs 10.264 million for laying the network, where 33 percent work had been completed while the remaining would be completed before June 30, 2016.
Meanwhile, the Senate was informed that federal government departments and private consumers owed over Rs 185 billion on account of electricity bills.
In a written reply, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif told the house that over Rs 8 billion were payable by the federal government while over Rs 127 billion were pending against private consumers.
Source: APP
