ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel has directed Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) to submit details regarding parliamentarians’ gas supply schemes.

The subcommittee of Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which met here on Wednesday under the chairmanship of MNA Shafqat Mahmood, directed Secretary Petroleum Division Sultan Raja to provide details of the opposition members’ gas supply schemes to the committee.

The audit officials informed the meeting that the policy wing of Petroleum Division hired the services of a consultant in 2013 while violating the set rules and regulations which caused an estimated financial loss to the tune Rs8.5 million to the national kitty. The audit officials said that Rs 6.6 million were paid to the consultant under the head of salary and an additional amount of Rs1.93 million were again paid to him in 2014.

While snubbing the secretary Petroleum Division, the committee members asked why the officials of the ministry violated the set rules and regulations in the appointment of consultant and why no action has been taken against the officials responsible for the mismanagement in this regard.

Secretary Petroleum Division Sultan Raja responding to the panel said that an inquiry into the matter has already been launched which after completion will be shared with the PAC.

Member Committee Shahida Akhtar Ali said that people are complaining that the officials of the Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited (SSGPL) are promoting blue-eyed persons in sheer violation of the merit.

The secretary petroleum assured the panel that at present all promotions in the attached departments of the Power Division are being made on merit, adding if any irregularity is found then the ministry will take prompt action and will not allow anybody to violate the set criteria. He further said that all the promotions in the attached departments are being made by the promotion board and individuals are not involved in the process.

The audit officials informed the panel that Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) paid an additional amount of Rs40 million to a private company on account of mud engineering in violation of PPRA rules.

Managing Director PPL Wamiaq Bukhari said that the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder and there was no irregularity involved at all. The panel directed the audit officials to again review the matter and inform the committee.

The audit officials said that Pakistan State Oil (PSO) was involved in supplying substandard and low quality oil products to the consumers. The MD PSO said that only one complaint was launched in this regard and no such issue has been reported with the company, adding that the PSO is not the only company selling oil products in the country.

Later on the secretary Petroleum Division admitted that there is problem of low quality and quantum in oil products being marketed by the PSO.

The audit officials said that the PSO caused Rs140 million loss to the national kitty by awarding a contract of installing LED lights to a private company against the set rules and regulations.