ISLAMABAD: For the upcoming Budget 2017-18, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Petroleum on Monday approved Rs 2.17 billion budgetary proposals relating to Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
The proposals would be forwarded to the Planning and Reforms and Finance Divisions for inclusion in the budget 2017-18. The committee met under Bilal Virk.
The body discussed and scrutinised the budgetary proposals relating to PSDP of Geological Survey of Pakistan and Hydro-Carbon Development Institute of Pakistan for 2017-18. The committee was told about the GSP’s project pertaining to evaluation of 3D mineral survey, coal bed methane and ground water potential and investigations for geothermal energy. The committee was further apprised that the proposed projects were located in Balochistan.
Discussing the PSDP proposals of Hydro-Carbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP), the committee was informed that three projects of expansion, up-gradation and strengthening of HDIP infrastructure and testing facilities at Karachi and other major cities had been proposed to capacitate the Institute to effectively carry out its mandate. The committee was further informed that in order to test POL products, imported and produced indigenously, up-gradation and strengthening of HDIP testing facilities was imperative.
The committee after briefing by the representative of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on theft of crude oil from oil field in District Karak, KP decided to summon the KP chief secretary, inspector general, Kohat Division commissioner, deputy commissioners and district police officers of Kohat and Karak districts and representative of MOL in the next meeting to discuss the non-cooperation of KP police and MOL Company with FIA in conducting the inquiry.
The FIA representative briefed the committee about the progress on the inquiry. He informed that FIA was facing difficulties in conducting a thorough probe due to non-cooperation of MOL administration and KP police. He said that FIA did not have the authority to get the 65 cases transferred from the police to FIA, therefore, the inquiry could not be brought to its logical conclusion. He also said that upon initial inquiry, private persons, MOL management, oil transporters and police were found involved in the theft.
The meeting was attended by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources; and lawmakers Malik Ihtebar Khan, Afzal Khokhar, Ishaq Khan, Rasheed Khan, Nawab Wassan, Imran Khattak and Abdul Waseem.
