A team of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) officials on Tuesday raided three factories and documented gas theft worth Rs12 million.
The raids were supervised by FIA’s focal person for electricity and gas theft, Assistant Director Irtiza Haider.
The team raided a spinning factory. The owner fled. The factory had an underground gas pipeline connected to the SNGPL’s main supply line.
Workers from a nearby factory were seen fleeing too. The team then raided there and discovered that the factory had a residential meter rather than a commercial meter. The meter was found to have been stolen two years ago.
The team also raided a power loom unit that had been stealing gas for five years.
FIRs have been registered against the owners of the three factories.
Haider told The Express Tribune that several SNGPL officials had been complicit with the factory owners. “We have submitted a report to the SNGPL’s regional office requesting an inquiry into the matter,” he said.
The FIA has decided to maintain high confidentiality in the matter, Haider said. “We inform MEPCO and SNGPL officials 10 minutes before conducting raids,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2013.