National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said Friday the government was not spending any amount out of the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess(GIDC) on Liquefied Natural Gas(LNG) project.
He said since January 2012 to February 2016 Rs 188 billion GIDC had
been collected and the relevant laws permitted the government to use those funds on LNG as well, the minister said during question-hour in the senate.
Citing clause 4 of GIDC Act, 2015, the minister said GIDC shall be
utilized by the Federal Government for or in connection with infrastructure development of Iran Pakistan Pipeline Project. Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan India (TAPI) Pipeline projects, LNG or other ancillary projects.
But, he added, cost of the LNG would be borne by those who utilized it
and added the GIDC would be utilized on promulgation and issuance of GIDC utilization Rules and its budgetary allocations as per instruction of the Federal Government.
He added the amount of Rs 109 billion of the said Cess was presently outstanding against various companies in the country due to Stay Order in various courts of law.
He said the government was actively pursuing the cases in the respective courts and added nothing had so for been reported by GIDC collecting companies for misappropriation or misuse of cases by consumers and companies.
He said there were still issues which should be resolved at CCI forum which had constituted committee to present a report about gas usage as gas or power plant was located in one province while its gas or power was also utilized by other parts of the country as well.