KARAK: Leaders of various political parties have criticised the provincial government for abolishing the formula for distribution of oil and gas royalty funds of the district.

In a joint meeting held here the other day with Hajat Ghani in the chair, they demanded immediate restoration of the royalty distribution formula.

Local leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Awami National Party, Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz attended the meeting.

The participants said that according to the given formula of royalty funds distribution 50 per cent of funds used to be given to the producing tehsil and 25 per cent each would go the other two tehsils, but now the government had snatched this right from the oil- and gas-producing Karak and Banda Daud Shah tehsils. Takht-i-Nusrati is third tehsil of the district.

The speakers resolved that they would not let anyone to usurp the rights of the oil- and gas-producing tehsils and would resist this decision of the provincial government on every forum.

Meanwhile, MPA Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel also criticised the decision. Talking to mediapersons, he said that according to the formula, 50 per cent funds used to be given to the oil and gas producing tehsil and 25 per cent each to other tehsils of the district.

He said extra funds for the oil- and gas-producing tehsils were meant to provide basic needs to the dwellers of areas where the exploration works were being carried out. He said that residents of the producing areas were facing different diseases due to exploration activities and the local people had been complaining about lack of healthcare facilities.

He demanded the government to withdraw the decision and restore the formula of distribution of oil and gas royalty funds among the three tehsils of Karak district.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2021