Lawmakers in the Senate on Friday lambasted the government for 10-20 percent proposed increase in the gas tariff despite severe shortage of the commodity, saying it will burden the poor masses already feeling the burnt of skyrocketing price hike. Speaking on a calling attention notice, the Senators said that the domestic consumers were facing severe gas shortage at present coupled with unemployment, terrorism, lawlessness, etc and any further increase in prices of the utility, at this stage, was simply intolerable.
Though, the gas is being produced locally and there is no justification to increase its price, adding the POL prices went down by 57 percent in the international market but the government passed on only 14 percent decrease to the masses. Senator Kamil Ali Agha, one of the movers of the calling attention notice, said the government was promoting liquefied natural gas (LNG), where he claimed there were more chances of corruption and kickbacks.
He demanded of the government to withdraw the proposed increase immediately otherwise the entire opposition would be forced to stage a sit-in outside the parliament house against gas price hike as gas shortage has made the life of common man miserable. Senator Zahid Khan, another mover, said that recent gas bills of domestic consumers have increased manifold and it looks as the government had already increased gas prices. He said in the whole world there was a decreasing price trend in both POL/gas but it was unique phenomena in Pakistan where the trend is going in opposite direction through increase in GST on POL and gas. In international market, he claimed, Russia was offering oil and gas in lower prices.
Senator Kalsoom Parveen was of the view that majority of gas was being extracted from Balochistan but no incentive was being provided to the province which is no different than exploitation of the people of resource rich but the backward province. She reminded the government that the disgruntled Baloch are the product of these inequalities which has forced them to pick up arms against the state and any further delay to resolve their issues might further complicate the issue.
Responding the senators' quarries, State Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal Khan rejected the gas price hike and said it was just a proposal. "No decision has yet been taken to increase the gas price, however, there are proposals to review different price slabs," he added.
He said that both SNGPL and SSGPL which were private limited companies and registered in the stock market were confronting of Rs 62 billion revenue short fall. The domestic consumer slab followed by the fertilizer sector is very low and the government wanted to rationalise or review both. He said that the government was working on war footing to overcome the gas shortfall besides importing LNG while gas projects were also in the pipeline to overcome the shortage.
He said the elected representatives should come up to the expectations of the people, adding the President also urged for good relations with the neighbouring countries, including India. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made a good beginning by attending the swearing-in ceremony of the new Indian Prime Minister but India did not reciprocated in a positive manner. He regretted that India created tension by resorting to frequent unprovoked firing across the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.
Senator Abdul Rauf said that peaceful atmosphere in the country was necessary to attract foreign investment. He said the government should take bold steps to implement the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline project to overcome gas shortage. The senator also stressed the need for providing protection to minorities.
He said there was a drought like situation from Noshki to Zhob due to lack of water, adding it should be addressed on priority basis. Senator Babar Ghori said the provinces got autonomy under the 18th constitutional amendment but the provinces did not transfer power to the local governments.
He said the National Action Plan (NAP) to eliminate terrorism has been prepared but no practical steps were being taken to implement it. He demanded early implementation on all the agreed points as it was need of the hour to secure Pakistan. He demanded action against religious extremism and terrorism.
Senator Surraya Amiruddin said establishment of peace should be the top most priority of the government as it was imperative for development and prosperity and attracting foreign investment. She was of the view that Balochistan was not being given importance and being ignored in every sphere of life. The Senate adopted the report of the Standing Committee on Commerce and Textile for the period from May 03, 2013 to May 08, 2014. It was presented by Senator Karim Ahmad Khawaja of PPP.