And PML-N’s tactics
If Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi thought cajoling the provinces into accepting unbundling of gas utilities SSGC and SNGPL, then hand over distribution to the provinces themselves, would be a straight forward affair, he was clearly in for a surprise. After much thought the provinces said, quite understandably, that they would be game only if ‘distribution, accompanied by production and transmission is transferred to the provinces’. But no such idea is at all acceptable to the government, which is why officials shot back that production is linked to international agreements, hence in no way a provincial affair.
Yet the provinces fearing undue burdening, in addition to deprivation of oil and gas royalties, have threatened to approach the Supreme Court if the government tries to muscle through the unbundling. In addition to other things, such a move would also mean that other provinces will have to pay for the development of the Punjab specific transmission line, since all four share the same transmission system. Therefore, either the government will have to give in to the provinces’ demands – which are legitimate but unacceptable to PML-N – or it must back out of the initiative – which does not leave it looking too good – or it must force its way through and prepare for a show-off at the Supreme Court.
It seems this is just a crude attempt to prepare Punjab for the next general election. With two good winters to go before the next poll, the ruling party cannot afford a repeat of ‘no gas’ headlines like the last three years. No doubt such another round of ‘no gas’ will have a pronounced effect on the electorate. But arm twisting other provinces for Punjab’s benefit will leave the ruling party even more exposed; which is pretty much what happened. The provinces are right that the correct forum for such a discussion is the Council of Common Interests (CCI). But the government has never really been too respectful of democratic institutions. Hopefully this time it will do the right thing.
