SSGC officials conduct raids to curb theft

KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) officials conducted raids against gas theft, a statement said.

The Operation Wing of the company’s Security Services and Counter Gas Theft Operations (SS and CGTO) Karachi carried out a raid in Shershah, a spokesperson of the company said.

The operation Wing found that the gas was being accessed directly from the company’s main supply line to run a roadside hotel.

The SSGC police arrested the culprit Aziz-ur-Rehman and registered an FIR against him.

In another raid, an SSGC team took action against another hotel situated in North Nazimabad where gas was also being accessed directly from the company’s main supply line.

Offenders Abdul Ghani and Kamran Shaikh were convicted by the gas utility court, Karachi Central, for their involvement in gas theft.

They had already paid Rs270,000 as a quantum of losses along with the fine of Rs5,000 for direct use of gas.

In another such case, the gas utility court Larkana found Irfan Abro guilty on account of stealing gas for commercial purposes.

The convict had already paid Rs850,000 to SSGC for the total theft claim of Rs1,730,000. The accused has undertaken to pay the remaining amount within three months.

Similarly, the gas utility court, Karachi West granted bail to accused Sajid Ali and Wazdan after the payment of the first instalment of quantum of loss to SSGC, amounting to Rs110,000 of the Rs201,900 and Rs100,000 of the Rs202,800.

The culprits have undertaken to pay the remaining amount in instalments, whereas another culprit Wazeer paid the remaining balance of the quantum of loss of Rs720,000 of the Rs1,443,300 to SSGC.

Regular raids followed by the prosecution are acting as deterrence against the menace of gas theft, which is imperative to curb the rising issue of unaccounted-for gas (UFG) or line losses that the company faces as a result.