Purchase of two shipments of LNG: Country to incur losses of over Rs11 billion: Khaqan

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister and senior leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday said that the country would incur losses of over Rs 11 billion as a result of buying of two shipments of liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Abbasi, while talking to reporters outside the Accountability Court he said the country would face losses of over Rs11 billion due to the tender issued for buying of two cargoes of LNG which was opened on Monday.

If the ministry did proper planning like in the past and issue tender for these two shipments in the month of June or July, the country would have not faced such losses, he said.

He said that the losses due to the delay in import of LNG had exceeded from Rs122 billion.

He said that the Ministry of Petroleum should tell us about the total annual expenses over the LNG terminal due to which a case had been made against him.

The minister who owns this 250 megawatt power plant should inform the public about the total annual saving of the country after his power plant was converted to LNG, he said, adding that he wanted answer of those two questions.

He said that the reference filed against him and others was related to setting up of an LNG terminal by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC).

Pakistan has become the only country in the world where the LNG is cheaper than diesel. This is another success of the present government that the LNG has become cheaper than diesel, he said.

He said that the Ministry of Petroleum had never filed a complaint that the LNG terminal installed by the SSGC was costly but the complaint was filed by Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

Abbasi said that he had again filed an application before the court requesting the court to summon Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed who is a complainant in the LNG case against him and others as witness.

The court should ask Ahmed that what kind of crime had been committed, and what evidence he have under which this case has been registered, he said.

To a question about the inquiry report on petrol crises, he said that he had not read the report but he knows that the Director General (DG) oil of Pakistan was a veterinary doctor. If DG oil of our country is a veterinary doctor then what can you expect, he said.

He further said that if Imran Khan had ordered the inquiry into crises than he should also order action against those found responsible.

The minister and the prime minister were also responsible for the crises, he said.

Earlier, the prosecution witness, Muhammad Hussain, an assistant director, while recording his statement before the Accountability Court-II judge, Azam Khan, produced various documents related to the case.

The documents produced by the witness include fax photocopy of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC)'s decision dated July 18,2013, with subject of LNG import, the copy of the ECC decision dated 15 August 2013 with subject on report on implementation taken by ECC of the cabinet, draft of summary for the ECC with subject fast track LNG services project which was originated by Abid Saeed, secretary Ministry of Petroleum, copy of legal opinion rendered by the then Secretary Law pertaining to fast track LNG services project, and copy of direction of the Prime Minister through Javed Aslam, secretary to the Prime Minister, addressed to the secretary of Ministry of Planning and Natural Resources (MP & NR).

Other documents produced by the witness include, copy of draft summary for the cabinet with subject fast track LNG services dated March 3, 2013 originated by the secretary of MP&NR Abid Saeed, copy of letter dated 13 July 2013, with subject EVTL LNG import infrastructure written by Sheikh Imranul Haq CEO Engro Vopak Terminal Limited addressed to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Federal Minister MP&NR, presentation for the MP&NR Government of Pakistan by the USAID dated July 15, 2013, attested copy of list of participants with subject import of LNG meeting was chaired by MP&NR dated July 15, 2013, attested copy of letter dated 24 July 2013 LGs MP and NR policy wing addressed to mission director USAID Pakistan embassy of US with subject USAID technical assistance for LNG import programme meeting/presentation. The court adjourned hearing of the case till December 22nd.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020