KARAK: Consumers here have alleged that the district office of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has been involved in giving illegal gas connections to people at the cost depriving legal consumers of gas supply.

While addressing a press conference here on Friday, they claimed that despite having obtained gas connections legally, the supply had been suspended for last few days.

They said SNGPL officials were deliberately not restoring the gas supply to them to appease the illegal consumers. They said they had informed the high ups time and again of their problem, but to no avail. They said they had also moved an application to the deputy commissioner in that regard, but gas supply to them was yet to be restored.

They said the gas line was laid through the lands of local people several years ago, but now they were creating problems for the legal consumers by stopping gas supply to them.

Despite repeated attempts, the head of local SNGPL office, Nasir Khan, could not be reached on his mobile phone to know his version on the matter.

OIL AND GAS AGREEMENTS: Deputy Commissioner Abid Khan Wazir has asked the oil and gas companies to honour the agreements inked with the local people to provide jobs to local educated people on priority basis.

This he said while chairing a meeting of the officials of OGDCL, Zelcon Company and local elders on Friday.

He asked the high ups of the oil and gas companies to take solid steps for uplift of the areas where they were exploring oil and gas.

Mr Wazir also warned the local elders not to create unnecessary hurdles in the smooth work of the companies as they were working for development of the district and the country.

On the occasion, OGDCL regional coordinator Mushfiq Paracha and project head of Zelcon Company Tariq assured the meeting that the companies would take steps for development of the area by providing them basic facilities.

DEATH SENTENCE: District and Sessions Judge Syed Kamal Hussain on Friday awarded death sentence to Badshah Jameel for murdering a person in 1996 and also fined him Rs0.5 million.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2016