ISLAMABAD - Pakistan State Oil (PSO) on Monday informed the parliamentary committee that they are facing difficulties in the recoveries from various government departments as Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and power sector are defaulter of Rs130 billion.

“If PSO suspended supply of fuel to the power sector the whole country will plunge into darkness,” said an official of PSO while briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources. The committee met under the chairmanship of MNA Chaudhry Bilal Ahmad Virk.

The committee recommended enhancement of new domestic gas connections up to one million per year enabling the gas distribution companies to provide gas connection to the consumers. The committee also recommended enhancement of domestic connections to new localities by 100 connections. The committee recommended enhancement of new gas connections in wake of huge number of pendency with the gas distribution companies. The committee was apprised that the Ogra had allowed 0.5 million new domestic gas connections to the gas distribution companies per year, however, due to huge number of pendency, the companies were unable to meet the demand.

The committee was further apprised that 200 connections were allowed to be provided to new localities. The representative of Ogra informed the committee that the regulatory authority had no objection on the increase as recommended by the committee in case of the gas companies had the capacity to carry out the task. The official of the PSO while briefing the committee said that they are facing difficulties in the recoveries of arrears from various government organisations. Power sector is defaulter of Rs117 billion while PIA owes Rs13 billion, PSO official informed. The issue of PIA arrears dues will be raised with the Aviations secretary, the official added.

Similarly, it was informed that the loans from banks were increased by Rs35 billion which is a matter of serious concern. The government has paid only Rs37 billion from January to June 2017, the official maintained. During fiscal 2016-17, the profit of PSO was enhanced by 24 percent while the LPG and LNG growth was increased by 131 percent and 107 percent respectively, the official maintained. The committee while discussing the performance of Pakistan State Oil, expressed its satisfaction. However, it directed the PSO to aggressively pursue measures to realise its recoverable from government departments.

The official of the OGDCL informed that NAB is conducting investigation in the theft of Diesel worth Rs320 million. So far a recovery of Rs38 million was made in this regard while the remaining amount is being recovered, the official informed.

The SNGPL managing director informed that they have disconnected around 160 illegal commercial connections in Karak and registered FIRs against them. Similarly, the illegal gas connections to factories were also disconnected, he added. “The gas thieves have become mafia and if the company takes action against them they will start protest and block the Indus Highway,” he said.

The committee also expressed its satisfaction on the performance of Pakistan Minerals Development Corporation (PMDC) and Hydro-Carbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP). The meeting was attended by MNAs; Muhammad Arshad Khan Laghari, Malik Ihtebar Khan, Rana Afzaal Hussain, Syed Muhammad Saqlain Shah Bukhari, Mian Tariq Mehmood, Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, Rasheed Ahmad Khan, Ch Khalid Javaid Warraich, Nawab Ali Wassan, Imran Khattak Abdul Waseem, Sajid Ahmed and senior officers of the concerned departments.