Gas shortage in Sindh: SHC seeks explanation from energy, finance secretaries

Sindh High Court on Monday summoned federal secretaries of energy and finance ministries to explain the reasons behind the persistent shortage of natural gas in Sindh.

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A two-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha, which took up a petition pertaining to implementation of the 2014 Supreme Court judgment in Abdul Hakeem Khoso case, was apprised by the Managing Director (MD) Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) that an order was issued by federal energy secretary for reducing natural gas supply by 15 per cent to Sindh. The bench wondered how the federal secretary of energy could issue an order regarding a matter which had already been settled in the Constitution.

The bench observed that Auricle 158 of the Constitution gave the foremost right to the province over the consumption of natural gas where well-head was located. “How could a secretary issue orders in violation of a constitutional provision?” wondered the bench.

The MD SSGC submitted that several letters pointing out this violation of constitutional provision had been written to the federal government but all remained unanswered.

The MD further added that the federal government was also not providing funding for extending natural gas supply to different rural areas of the province.

After the statement of the MD SSGC, the bench directed the two secretaries to appear before the court within two weeks to provide an explanation for reducing supply and not providing funding for extending it to the rural population.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan in Abdul Hakeem Khoso case in 2014 had issued directions to oil and gas exploration and production companies as well as federal and provincial departments to fulfill their obligations in respect of dispersing and monitoring of funds, collected from the companies, to the district administration for the better uplifting of communities through social welfare schemes.

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Roshan Ali Lakhani and other petitioners had approached Sindh High Court for implementation of the directions of the apex court.