The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has launched a probe into the last year’s petroleum crisis and the recently concluded LNG deal with Qatar, a private TV channel reported.
Tightening noose around the characters allegedly part of the last year’s fuel crisis in the country, NAB Rawalpindi has summoned secretary petroleum on April 26 along with the attested copy of the inquiry commission.
According to reports, the petroleum crisis last year caused a loss of Rs 25 billion to the national exchequer and the accountability watchdog has directed the secretary petroleum to also bring the inquiry report along with relevant documents. Reports said the accountability watchdog would examine the role of secretary petroleum, director general OGRA and oil companies in the entire episode.
On April 20, the federal government had made public the inquiry commission’s report on the petrol crisis, which held oil marketing companies, Petroleum Division and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority responsible for the fuel crisis in the country last year.
Besides this, the NAB has also launched a probe into the recently concluded LNG deal with Qatar and has summoned a copy of the deal from the petroleum division. “Bring an attested copy of LNG deal finalized on February 26,” the watchdog directed, adding that it would conduct an inquiry against a committee that finalized the price for LNG purchase.
On February 26, Pakistan had inked a new agreement with Qatar for the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). The ceremony held in Islamabad was also attended by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Energy Minister Umar Ayub and his Qatari counterpart had signed the agreement on behalf of their respective countries.
According to the agreement, Qatar would provide three million tonnes of LNG to Pakistan in the next 10 years. The new agreement for LNG with Qatar will effect a saving of $300 million for Pakistan.
