KOHAT, Sept 8: The continuing delay in construction of a pipeline from Gurguri oil and gas fields to northern parts of the NWFP since July is causing losses of millions of rupees to the government.

The project initiated to provide natural gas to the northern parts was halted on the intervention of the members of a grand jirga belonging to Lachi town.

The jirga members despite being assured by the authorities that the area will get gas by 2008 have not allowed the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited to restart work on the pipeline. The NWFP chief minister has already sanctioned the required funds for the project.

The SNGPL had started laying pipeline last year. The pipeline has to pass through many areas, including Lachi town, 22km west of the Kohat city.

The elders of Lachi town have asked the authorities to first provide gas to their area and then to other parts of the province. A deadline given by the jirga to the authorities last week for Friday has also passed, but there is no progress in sight to end the impasse.

Last month, the jirga members told the district coordination officer of Kohat, Syed Shahab Ullah Shah, that they would not allow the resumption of work unless a pipeline was laid for the town from the primary line.

They also refused to accept an assurance by the DCO that

gas supply to the town

would start in 2008 – the year in which the project is to be completed.

The elders told him that they did not trust the government which had allegedly been making false promises to them for the last two years.

The DCO, who had warned them that he would restart the work by imposing section 144 and arrest those hindering the project, has so far failed to take any action.

The supply of gas from Gurguri and Shakardarra oil and gas fields run by Hungarian company MOL and the Oil and Gas Development Company to Punjab has already started three years ago.

This made the local people angry who have been demanding the supply of gas to the

rural areas of Kohat district, Karak and Hangu for several years.