Standing committee on petroleum: Senators from Balochistan stage token walkout

Senators hailing from Balochistan staged a token walkout on Monday from the proceedings of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum against non-regularisation of engineers despite assurance from Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL).

It was the second time that members of the committee from Balochistan staged a walkout. First time they walked out in previous meeting of the committee over the same issue and gas load shedding in the provinces producing gas.

The committee also took serious notice of delay in supply of natural gas to domestic consumers of certain areas. Committee Chairman Senator Mohsin Aziz held the meeting here at the Parliament House.

The officials of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) assured the committee members that the gas company would formulate a phase-wise priority plan for providing gas supply to the areas identified in circles of Lora, Bakot, Baghan and Upper Lower Galiyat so that work can be initiated at the earliest possible.

While discussing the scheme for supply of gas to village Mohra Dhamial and Dhoke Sudan Jabbar Road, Tehsil Gujar Khan, the committee was told that the scheme was approved in 2018 and the pipes laid in ground will not be moved to any other area and work will soon begin.

The committee was also briefed about the scheme for laying additional 10' diameter transmission line approved from Kheshgi to Charsadda and from Charsadda to Peshawar in order to overcome the issue of low gas pressure in Charsadda Tangi Sherpao and surrounding areas and extension of that line to Tangi area.

Regarding the regularisation of services of 13 engineers belonging to Balochistan by OGDCL, the committee was told that the contract employees will be give some relaxation in employment criteria but the procedure of test and interview will have to be followed. The committee was also told that a two-day extension will be given to people who haven't applied till now for the test against regular posts to be held on January 26.

The committee asked OGDCL to report to the committee after completing the process of recruitment in a month time after the test.

The matter of outstanding payment relating to International Fabrication Company for replacement of 26' diameter 15km gas pipeline at Uch gas field in Dera Bugti and Dera Murad Jamali in Balochistan was also discussed.

The committee heard OGDCL as well as the contractor and directed to hold a meeting between both parties and take the disputed issues to the board of OGDCL for resolution and decision.