ISLAMABAD -  Managing Director Sui Northern Gas Company Limited (SNGPL) Amjad Latif Tuesday said the company was facing 95 percent gas losses in tehsil Lachi and districts Karak and Hangu of the Khyber Pakhtunkwa province.

"The locals of all these localities have obtained illegal gas connections, mostly through direct taps and unconventional joining methods, which is not only a loss to the national exchequer in the shape of gas theft, but also in the form of gas wastage through leakages," he told APP.

SNGPL, he said, made all-out efforts to curb the losses in oil and gas producing areas with the help of Police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Whenever, the company launched a campaign for disconnection and removal of this illegal network with the assistance of law enforcement agencies, the locals sealed the plants of Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDCL) and MOL, and blocked the Indus highway, he added.

The MD said Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkwa had categorically mentioned in his letter written to Chairman Oil an Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) that "the gas losses in these areas are not due to the inefficiency of SNGPL, but due to the prevailing law and order situation of those areas which can not be controlled even through administrative measures of the provincial government."

Answering a question, he said SNGPL teams had put their lives at risk to disconnect illegal gas connections of industries, mostly Plaster of Paris, which got connections from the company's network and extended to the barren terrain through plastic pipes for kilometers.

Approximately, he said, the company removed 60 illegal industrial connections and lodged 52 FIRs, besides it removed 169 illegal commercial connections and registered 155 FIRs against pilferers.

Currently, the MD said, a project had been planned to provide gas in surrounding villages of Mardan Khel well and villages within five kilomters radius of Meramazi-II and Noshpa Rig No.4, besides rehabilitating damaged pipeline network in Gurguri village.

He said the KP government had so far deposited only Rs 114.066 million under the project, but SNGPL could not recommend the project to the Federal Cabinet's special committee for approval until the complete funds were not provided by the federal or provincial government.

However, Amjad Latif said, keeping in view the provincial government's urgency, the company had recommended execution of a part of the project for provision of gas to villages within five kilometers radius of gas-producing well Mardan Khel.