The Ministry of Petroleum has proposed amendments in Offences Law Against Property of Theft of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC)1860 to check gas theft. An official of the ministry said that the amendment draft of had been approved by the Federal Cabinet and forwarded to the Law Division for notification. According to first amendment, any one who is found guilty of tampering with main petroleum or gas pipeline would be imprisoned for up to 14 years and could be fined up to Rs 10 million.
“Any one found guilty of tampering with auxiliary or distribution pipeline would be imprisoned for up to 10 year and will have to pay Rs 3 million in fine,” he said.
The third amendment said that any one who is found tampering with a commercial gas meter would be fined Rs one million and face three-year imprisonment and any one found of tampering with a domestic gas meter would be imprisoned for up to six months with fine of Rs 10,000.
The offence of damages and destructing the transmission or transportation pipeline by explosive material or any other manner would be fiend Rs one million with 14 years of imprisonment.