Government received a strong rebuke from the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum on Wednesday which unanimously passed a resolution condemning the massive hike in petroleum products and demanded its immediate withdrawal as it could create law and order situation in the country. The committee also took the management of state owned Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) to task on corrupt practices and ordered its top mandarins to leave the meeting as they attempted to conceal facts by invoking confidentiality on audit paras. Chairman Sardar Talib Hassan Nakai chaired the meeting which expressed serious apprehension on the blatant increase in POL prices and observed that the government’s apathetic action has made the lives of people miserable.
The committee feared that if the government did not immediately withdraw the hike, it will jeopardise the economy and create law and order situation in the country. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Nakai said they will also raise the issue on the floor of the house. He said the government has not bothered to take committee into confidence on the increase in POL prices as it tried to create a misimpression that the committee was on board. He said they never recommended any increase in POL prices as the people were already under stress due to inflation. Nakai regretted that he had twice written letters to the Prime Minister seeking time to inform him about the sorry state of affairs in the state owned oil and gas sector but the premier had even not bothered to reply to the chairman of the committee of the National Assembly.
Earlier chairing the meeting, Nakai asked the OGDCL management why they have claimed that the internal inquiry reports sought on seven audit paras for three fiscal years of 2003-04, 2004-05, and 2007-08 were confidential and could not be provided to the members. Acting MD OGDCL Basharat Mirza replied that they did not prepare sets of the confidential reports but if the members insist would be provided during the meeting. However, Barjees Tahir of PML-N said there was no issue of confidentiality as these were audit irregularities. He said OGDCL management should either provide the documents or there was no use of holding the meeting if they were not ready to answer.
Seconding him Shahnaz Sheikh of PML-Q said that the committee should protest on this kind of non serious attitude of the officials. Details were sought on unnecessary purchase of chemical worth Rs 55.1 million and loss of Rs 5.6 million on account of its sale below cost price, loss of Rs 10.1 million due to negligence of Enar Petrotech Services in execution of the Kunnar LPG project, irregular hiring of a consultant in violation of board’s decision on Rs 280,000, appointment of 22 officers without observing codal formalities which caused loss of Rs 65.1 million, loss due to procurement of defective man portable drill 30 meter worth Rs 49.6 million, irregular appointment of executive director human resource Rs 16.8 million, irregular appointment of part-time consultant and payment of remuneration of Rs 4.8 million. Castigating the non professional approach of mandarins, Donya Aziz of PML-Q said the committee has power of court and demanded action against the acting MD OGDCL for having made a irresponsible statement. Nakai said the non serious attitude of top officials was totally unacceptable and action had to be taken against them to establish supremacy of parliament. Barjees Tahir demanded that who so ever had drafted the note that due to confidentiality details could not be shared, action should be taken against him. He demanded that the acting MD OGDCL should be asked to leave the meeting as he was willfully attempting to conceal facts from the committee. Intervening Additional Secretary Ministry of Petroleum Naeem Malik said that there was no issue of confidentiality in the inquiry reports and assured the committee that the ministry will hold an inquiry to ascertain who was responsible for hiding facts. The committee directed him to hold inquiry and action within three days against the responsible.
NA panel demands immediate withdrawal of new prices
