QUETTA: Dr Ishaq Baloch, Central Vice President, National Party NP, has said that Balochistan produces 20 percent of the natural gas, but receives only 5 percent of the produced natural gas, raising the question as to where the remaining 95 percent gas is being utilized.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, he said that remaining 95 percent of the natural gas produced in Balochistan was being supplied to manure companies of the country on subsidy rates. Baloch said that article 158 of Constitution of the country clearly states, “The province in which a wellhead of the national gas is situated shall have precedence over other parts of Pakistan in meeting the requirements from the wellhead.”
He added that presently Balochistan and Sindh were the largest gas producing units of the country, but constitutional rights of Balochistan and Sindh were being denied by the federation which was clear violation of the constitution.
He said that the present deplorable economic situation, mismanagement and sky rocketing inflation were the consequences of defective and failed policies of selected rulers. He said, “As soon as winter season begins, gas load-shedding in Balochistan starts.”
Baloch called on the authorities of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited SSGCL to address the issue of gas load shedding in Balochistan, otherwise, National Party NP would raise voice for the constitutional rights of the people of Balochistan at every forum.