An application was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, seeking court directives to the federal government for cancellation of announced gas loadshedding for consumers in Punjab during the upcoming winter season. Filing the application, Senator Babar Awan urged the Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali to take suo motu notice of the government's announcement on disruption in supply of natural gas to Punjab from December 2016 to February 2017.
He also requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan to issue directives to the federal government to place the LNG gas contract with Qatar before the Supreme Court. He submitted that the government cannot oblige few on the expense of over 100 million people living in the province of Punjab, adding that millions of people are exploited and discriminated due to the announcement of the Federal government which includes senior citizens, sick, children and students hence it is a matter of urgent public importance at large.
He said as per principles of policy, federal government is bound to provide basic necessities to the citizens, however, the government has failed to do so in spite of purchase of LNG on highest rate from Qatar. He maintained that the incumbent government claimed that through purchase of most expensive gas from Qatar, the government would overcome shortage of gas to domestic consumers. Awan stated it is a matter of record that dubious purchase contract of gas from Qatar is still a secret, price of which is paid by people of Pakistan but they do not know the rates and details of the said contract.