A team of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has detected gas theft at a mobile phone network tower owned by leading telecommunication company, Jazz, in Kurk, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The SNGPL shared the development on its official Twitter handle, stating: “During the ongoing operations against gas theft, it has been revealed that a foreign mobile phone company operating in Pakistan is involved in gas theft”.
It said the natural gas was being stolen from it 8-inch main pipeline, adding that a 200-feet-long pipe was being used to steal the gas.
3/4 تفصیلات کے مطابق ٹاور کے لیے سوئی ناردرن کی آٹھ انچ مین گیس لائن سے دو سو فٹ طویل پائپ کے ذریعے گیس چوری کی جارہی تھی۔ مذکورہ موبائل فون ٹاور غیر ملکی موبائل کمپنی کی ملکیت ہے۔
— SNGPL Official (@SNGPLofficial) September 11, 2023
SNGPL said its team took prompt action and disconnect the connection being used to run gas-fired generator. It added that a case had also been registered against the telecommunication company at a local police station.
However, Jazz disputed the allegations, calling them baseless, and sent Rs10 billion defamation notice to the SNGPL.
The telecom company claimed that none of its network sites across Pakistan uses natural gas, adding the SNGPL itself had evidence in this regard. It called the allegations an attempt to damage the confidence of investors.
Jazz underscored the legitimacy of its electricity and fuel arrangements and revealed agreements with third-party vendors for the exclusive supply of diesel fuel for its generators at multiple locations.
The SNGPL late Wednesday also issued a press statement, stating that it was found in a probe that a third-party contractor is responsible for gas theft at the Kurk site, as Jazz had contracted with it for electricity supply.
The fresh statement was contrary to what was shared by the SNGPL on social media platform X about the raid and in a letter sent to a Jazz officer.
The letter had asserted that the team conducted the operation after receiving solid intelligence, adding that the operation was conducted in the presence of security officials.
It said that a diesel-fired generator was present on the site but it was non-operational.
In latest turn of events, SNGPL stressed that it had never labelled Jazz a “Gas Thief” in any of its statements and believes the gas theft is the work of individuals at a lower level within the organisation.
Amid changes in SNGPL statement, reports claimed that the federal government had put pressure on the SNGPL to withdraw its claims as the legal battle would hurt international investment in Pakistan.
