The National Assembly’s Standing Committee for Petroleum on Monday issued summons for the managing director (MD) of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) to defend himself.
The committee’s session, chaired by Jamshed Dasti, reviewed the matters of CNG crisis and oil theft.
The committee members said MD PSO Naeem Yahya Mir held dual nationality and that his case would be sent to the Supreme Court.
Dasti said Mir had been summoned in order to defend himself but since he had failed to appear before the committee, his summons had been issued.
He added that the CNG crisis had affected people adversely and that the government was oblivious to their sufferings. It was the responsibility of the prime minister to resolve the CNG issue, Dasti said.
He told the committee that oil worth billions of rupees was being stolen from Muzaffargarh, adding that, despite that the PSO’s and Pak Arab Refinery Limited’s (Parco) records showed no evidence of oil theft. He added that the SHO of Muzaffargarh was also found to be involved in oil theft.
Moreover, the lawmaker said an FIR had been registered against PSO officers but no action had been taken. Therefore, the case would be sent to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the top brass would be implicated in it, he added.
Dasti asserted that non-discriminatory action would be taken against all members of political parties involved in this case.
He alleged that PSO was adding water to the oil which was being supplied through the railways.
Dasti criticized Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar for showing lack of interest in the matter “despite hailing from the area” where oil theft was taking place. He said if someone from his community was found involved in the case, that person would be arrested immediately.
The committee recommended that the Adviser to Petroleum Ministry Dr Asim Hussain, Secretary Petroleum and Natural Resources Waqar Masood and Managing Director Parco Tariq Rizavi should visit the area in question. If the visit does not take place, it would be assumed that the top officials are involved in the case, the committee warned.
The Inspector General of Punjab Haji Habibur Rehman said the police would submit their report on the issue within 15 days’ time.