Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and chief whip of ruling PPP in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah proposed the formation of a parliamentary committee headed by opposition to review the ongoing gas crisis, fix responsibility and suggest measures to resolve it.
Replying to point of order of opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in the National Assembly on Friday, Syed Khursheed Shah said the parliamentary committee would determine whether the gas crisis was due to inefficiency of the present government or there were other reasons behind it.
He requested the speaker that the Energy Committee formed earlier should be directed to submit its report within a week, while the proposed committee should be given a timeframe of 15 days.
The minister also said no government wants to see the people in difficulty where they are not able to light their stoves. He pointed out that court has given a stay order about a gas field in Kunhar area of Sindh due to which 300MCF of gas could not be brought into the system. He said had this gas been brought into the system in October 2009, the present crisis would not have surfaced.
Referring to the statement of opposition leader that the ministers do not attend the parliamentary proceedings, Khursheed Shah said on his request the finance minister was present in the house and speaker should write a letter to Secretary Establishment to ensure the presence of bureaucrats.
