Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Energy and Power HimayatUllah Khan has said that Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has approved gas infrastructure development projects worth Rs 4.05 billion for gasification of Karak, Kohat, Hangu, Charsadda and Peshawar.

Presiding over a high level meeting of Energy Department, HimayatUllah Khan informed that for the first time after last ten years., these gasification projects have been approved for oil and gas producing districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Board of Directors (BoD) of SNGPL has approved Rs 1,944 million gasification projects for districts Karak, Kohat and Hangu. Out of the total project cost, SNGPL will fund Rs1250 million while remaining cost of Rs 694 million will be funded by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The projects will result in provision of gas to about 25,000 households, he added.

The advisor said that Mardankhel Well 03, district Hangu was successfully drilled but couldn't connect to the system since 2016 because local people are demanding for gasification of their villages. Now Mardankhel Well 03 has been connected to the system after the approval of gasification scheme of Rs 232 million for villages within 5 kilometres radius of Mardankhel Well 03.

This will generate around Rs360 million/annum revenue for provincial government on account of royalty. Moreover, Dhok Hussain Well, district Kohat is also awaiting connectivity to the system since 2017 because of locals' demand for gasification of their villages. Now the board has approved gasification scheme of Rs 269 million for villages falling within 5 Km radius of Dhok Hussain Well. This will generate about Rs 2,700 million Annum for Provincial Government in terms of royalty on oil and gas, added HimayatUllah Khan.

Since long, Peshawar and Charsadda face gas loadshedding in winter seasons. The board took the initiative and approved Rs 1,500 million project for increasing capacity of pipelines from Kheshgi to Charsadda and Charsadda to Peshawar.

Talking on the occasion, Advisor to CM on Energy & Power, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who represents Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on the Board of Directors of SNGPL, informed that the board has shifted the Managing Director SNGPL Secretariat from Lahore to Islamabad for the ease of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Parliamentarians to interact with SNGPL higher management to resolve their issues.

He also said that the Board has approved establishment of Regional Office at Karak and Sub-Regional Offices at Hangu and Bannu which will create 400 jobs for the locals and fast track the development activities in Districts Karak, Kohat, Hangu, Bannu and D I Khan.

The Advisor assured that more gasification schemes are in pipeline which will further fulfill the basic needs of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.