QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly has strongly criticised the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) for unscheduled loadshedding and suspension of supply in Quetta and other areas of the province and demanded a reduction in gas price for domestic consumers.
A joint resolution moved on behalf of treasury and opposition members by Nasarullah Zerey, Agha Liaquat and Majeed Achakzai of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party asked the federal government to restore the slab system for billing which had been withdrawn by the SSGC without any announcement.
The resolution urged the federal government to take notice of suspension of gas supply in chilly weather and provide gas to the people of Balochistan without any disruption.
Speaking on the resolution, Nasarullah Zerey, Liaquat Agha, Majeed Khan Achakzai, Manzoor Ahmed Kakar, Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal, Abdul Rehman Khetran and other legislators said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority had fixed uniform rates for the entire country, but since gas consumption in Balochistan increased due to intense cold weather, its price in the province should be reduced.
They regretted that unscheduled gas loadshedding in different parts of Balochistan was another issue which caused problems for the people in the chilly cold weather. They said that due to wrong meter reading and unjustified rates the poor were getting huge gas bills during the winter season, besides facing unscheduled loadshedding and low gas pressure.
The treasury and opposition members suggested that gas rates in Balochistan be fixed at Rs5 per unit for consumers using up to 500 units.
They said Balochistan had been fulfilling the energy requirement of the entire country since 1954 when gas reserves were found in the Sui area of Dera Bugti district, but still 24 out of its 32 districts had no gas supply.
They pointed out that the people of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had been getting free gas since its discovery from the area.
The members demanded gas supply to Balochistan from the Shikarpur distribution system as per requirement of the province.
The resolution was unanimously approved by the assembly.
Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2017
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