KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has demanded that the federal government immediately restore gas supply to the province, saying that the gas closure amounted to depriving many people of their livelihoods.

The chief minister recalled that although Sindh produced 70 per cent of its total production in Pakistan, it was being deprived of gas supply in violation of Article 158 of the Constitution under which Sindh had the first right over the gas. “We are not only being deprived of this right, but domestic consumers are also facing its brunt while industries, power projects and CNG stations are closed, which has taken the entire province in the grip of a severe crisis,” he said.

The chief minister further said that non-supply of natural gas was also adversely affecting the generation of electricity.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh, Transport and Mass Transit Minister Owais Qadir Shah, former minister Nisar Ahmad Khuhro and Adviser to the Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab, recording their severe protest over the closure of gas supply, said that the federal government had failed to resolve the prime issues of the people of Pakistan.

Provincial ministers slam federal government

The ministers, who were speaking at a joint press conference here on Thursday at the Sindh Assembly Building, said that before coming to power the PTI had made tall claims of doing justice and upholding the rule of law, but after assuming power, it had committed flagrant violation of Article 158 of the Constitution. “How is it possible in a welfare state ... that the people of Sindh are first deprived of water and now being denied gas supply,” they said and added that two things were crystal clear that either the PTI government was incompetent or it was wittingly deviating from the Constitution.

They said that the government of Sindh had already taken up the matter with the federal government and was also in constant touch with the stakeholders and the people to express solidarity with them.

Mr Shaikh said that they had conveyed Sindh’s stance to the federal government and added that they would record their protest at every forum. He said that despite the promises of the federal government, the gas supply had been decreased and demanded that the prime minister take immediate notice of the situation and issue directives for the restoration of gas supply. He said that Sindh had no representation in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and Sindh had not been taken into confidence on power agreements.

Minister threatens to support protesters

Mr Shah said if the federal government did not restore gas supply immediately to the industries and CNG stations, the government would put its weight behind the industrialists and transporters in their protest against the federal government.

He said the closure of CNG stations had badly affected public transport in Karachi which had mostly disappeared from the roads. He said more than 100,000 people could not reach their workplaces because of transport shortage.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the PPP believed in respecting the Constitution and every article mentioned in the Constitution was important for it.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2018