Sindh writes letter to Hammad Azhar over gas crisis in province

Dunya News

Pakistan

Residents of Karachi have been facing difficulties due to gas load shedding: Sindh Government

KARACHI (Dunya News) - The Sindh government has written a letter to Federal Energy Minister Hammad Azhar over gas crisis in the province reminding him that the constitution provides the first right to the province which is producing the very resource.

In its letter, the Sindh government said that injustice was meted out to the province in the supply of gas. It said that if the Centre did not have the ability to effectively run the Sui Southern Gas Company then it could hand over the same to the Sindh govt. The provincial government would show the energy minister how to produce gas and distribute it in the right manner.

The letter further said that despite the fact that Sindh produces gas but it is deprived of it. Article 158-2 III grants the first right of use of the resource to the producing province. For the last three years, the federal government has been looting Sindh’s gas share.

The provincial government added that the residents of Karachi have been facing difficulties due to gas load shedding and low pressure since November last and people and students have to leave their houses without food. Many citizens are forced to burn wood, coal and cylinders to cook food which is causing them health problems.

For the last two months, the CNG sector in the province has been shut which is rendering thousands of daily wagers jobless and the closure has put a stop to public transport business, it added.

The provincial government added that the industrial wheel has also been obstructed and thousands of laborers have been laid off. Moreover, factories are unable to fulfill their orders and country is losing valuable foreign exchange.