The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the petroleum secretary to submit a reply, indicating their department’s policy on new gas connections. Expressing concern over the grant of gas connections on political basis, the court observed that it was violation of Article 25 of the constitution. The court said there should be no discrimination and the Petroleum Ministry should adopt a policy in this regard.
A four-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Muhammad Sair Ali, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, heard the suo motu case against grant of gas connections on political bases. The bench took notice on a letter from a woman from Gujjar Khan.
During the course of hearing, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Managing Director, Rasheed Lone, informed the court that gas was being supplied on the directive of the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. He said he had asked the government to stop gas connections as there was shortage of gas, but it was a political government, which could not implement the department’s instructions. The chief justice said the political government should work for the entire nation and not for selected people. The court adjourned the hearing for three weeks. – Daily Times
