Expressing serious concerns over the massive crude oil theft in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum to decided to summon the top officials of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, KP police and FIA to devise mechanism to stop bleeding of the national exchequer.
The meeting of the committee was chaired by Chaudhry Bilal Virk. The committee was informed by the former chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and presently Minister for Housing Akram Durrani that in Kohat district and surrounding areas there was blatant theft of petroleum crude oil for the last many years.
The situation has gone to such an extreme that the people are collecting crude oil from sui gas connections in homes. The area is filled with the smell of petrol as crude oil is being collected everywhere, he added.
MNA Nasir Khattak substantiating Durrani’s statement said that the theft was blatant and in full connivance with the provincial and federal authorities. The crude oil is being sold for Rs 18 per litre in the area. It could be used in petrol as well as diesel vehicles. He alleged that foreign company MOL was involved in the crude oil theft along with the officials of the state owned entities.
Durrani said MOL with the connivance of contractor was stealing the crude oil and causing billion of rupees loss to the national exchequer. The company had only 9 percent share in the block while the remaining 91 percent shares were owned by the government through its oil and gas exploration and production companies. The Ministry of Petroleum and OGDCL have not taken any steps to stop this massive crude theft.
Responding to the statements, Secretary Petroleum Arshad Mirza said the matter was being investigated by FIA. They have submitted an interim report but the final report is still awaited.
Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abassi said some highly influential person was involved in the crude theft. He said there were reports that a very expensive machine was installed on the pipeline that brought gas from well to the plant. A police check post was established near the machine to give it protection.
Chairman Bilal Virk decided to summon top officials of OGDCL, local police officers and FIA to ascertain the facts, identify the people involved in the theft and give recommendations to resolve the issue.
