SSGC Corruption Scandal, Investigation Starts

Karachi: Sui Southern Gas Company Limited has found to be suspected in the corruption billions of rupees due to which Federal Investigation Agency Anti-Corruption Wing has started investigation in this regard. According to the inquiry 12/2015, investigation of corruption was started internally by the officers of SSGC and when they found some evidences regarding corruption in the organization, the case was handed over to FIA for further investigation.

With respect to the deep details, two industrial companies which are situated at Port Qasim named as Akhtar Pori Terminal and Mujahid Oil Refinery contacted to the officers of SSGC few months ago and told them that Islamabad ministry have approved their connections. In this regard, an approval fax was also sent to Islamabad Ministry of section officer Muhammad Saboor Khan. Officer of MD office objected at the copy of the approval fax that no new connection will be given until the submission of original approval letter. However in this way, this matter became complicated and several questions are emerged frequently.

Although, it has revealed in the initial investigation that signatures of section officer Muhammad Saboor Khan are fake as he was not assigned in the office during the days when approval fax was sent to Islamabad ministry along with his fake signatures while fax no was true and belonged to the same ministry. After which FIA started investigation due to which it also found that several fake connections have been given with the help of mutual involvement of staff of SSGC. While various industrial, commercial and domestic connections had also provided in the past as these connections have been banned in the country since many years. On the other hand, Rs 1 million from industrial connections, Rs 7 to 10 lakhs from commercial connections and Rs 20 to 30 thousands from domestic connections have been receiving since many years due to which National Treasury has also suffering from heavy loss.

Similarly, the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has also discovered almost 22 case regarding gas theft, inappropriate selections and unpaid funds due to which SSGC has faced high loss of Rs36 billion. However AGP has suggested strict inquiry of higher officials of SSGC who are allegedly involve in ineligible contracts, non-payments and gas theft. In this regard, audit report also revealed that SSGC management was involved in a corruption of Rs4.2 billion in several cases of fraud and violations of rules and regulations of the company.

[alert style=”white”] By taking an action in this case, FIA has sent notice to two companies Akhtar Pori Terminal and Mujahid Oil Refinery and higher officials of SSGC in the initial investigation.[/alert]