Gas Theft Decreased By 3%, 133,106 Cases Detected: Ministry

ISLAMABAD, Nov 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 08th Nov, 2016 ) : The government has taken drastic measures against gas theft and illegal connections across the country that brought down the UFG (unaccounted for gas) by three percent during last three years.

"Due to measures taken by the government, the UFG has come down by three percent in last three years," official sources in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources told APP. The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) have detected around 133,106 gas theft cases in their respective operational areas during the period.

From July 2013 to August 2016, the SNGPL identified 130,516 theft cases, involving 18,031 mmcf (million cubic feet) gas and Rs 10,496 million in stolen money. While, it identified gas theft of 22,819 mmcf by non-consumers and 34,154 mmcf in law and order affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The sources informed that the SSGCL had detected 1,265 theft cases, registered 118 FIRs (first information reports), charged 713 mmcf gas and recovered Rs 613 million from the industrial pilferers.

Whereas, they said, the company identified 1,335 cases, registered 91 FIRs against the domestic gas pilferers, who stolen 6,689 mmcf gas amounting to Rs 1,1992 million. Answering a question, they said the Federal government had reached an agreement with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to legalize the illegal gas connections to reduce losses.

Under the agreement, they said the gas companies would provide 60 percent funding, whereas the KP government would provide 40 percent funding.