ISLAMABAD: A staggering insider theft of gas infrastructure, valued at over Rs. 410 million, was revealed during a hearing of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Tuesday. The session, chaired by MNA Naveed Qamar, exposed systemic corruption within the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), implicating the company’s own employees in the large-scale pilferage.
The audacious theft involved the systematic removal of gas pipes from the SNGPL’s store in Manga Mandi. “Goods have been removed from the SNGPL store by the truckload,” disclosed audit officials, highlighting the brazen nature of the operation that caused a loss of Rs. 410.8 million.
Committee member Shazia Marri termed it “the theft of the institution itself,” noting a disturbing shift from public theft to institutional collusion. “Earlier, they used to say that people steal, now the employees of the institution are stealing,” she stated.
SNGPL officials confirmed that 41 employees have been held responsible internally, and Rs. 16.2 million has been recovered so far. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which has conducted 41 inquiries, reported registering a case against 18 accused. However, the revelation that all 18 were granted bail drew sharp criticism from Chairman Naveed Qamar, who questioned the judicial outcome.
The FIA has recovered an additional Rs. 44 million and has requested a forensic audit from SNGPL to trace the full trail of the stolen assets. In response, SNGPL’s board has formed a special committee to investigate the matter. The PAC has directed the FIA to submit a detailed report on its investigation, demanding accountability for one of the most significant insider heists in recent memory involving a state-owned utility.
