Ministry of Petroleum wants to trim OGRA powers to get desire objectives: PEW
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ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Petroleum’s hectic efforts to bring Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) under its administrative control will make the Authority toothless to protect rights of the consumers.
This was said by President Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) Dr.Murtaza Mughal in a statement issued here on Wednesday.
He said some report suggest that ministry of Petroleum was making all-out efforts to bring OGRA under its control in order to get its desire objectives of importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) according to its own wish as ogra had opposed LNG import on the existing terms and conditions by disagreeing with the ministry on six points and relaxed rules’ for import of LNG.
Dr.Murtaza Mughal said after failing to get Ogra nod over imported LNG and LPG projects ministry started to clip the powers of the authority which will also loose its independent role as a Regulator.
“The OGRA had consistently been opposing imported LNG and LPG projects at higher rates because of various reasons that was why ministry of petroleum wanted to clip the powers of OGRA by utilizing the powers and authority of the Prime minister,” he observed.
He demanded that OGRA should continue functioning under Cabinet Division which was in the supreme interests of the oil and gas consumers and also inline with international practices.
He said to put OGRA under the umbrella of petroleum ministry was also against the rights of consumers and international practices and there were fears that International donors can raise voices against this move.
Dr.Murtaza said at present, all the regulatory bodies such as Nepra, Pemra, OGRA, SECP, IRSA and PTA were working under Cabinet Division then why there was a dire need to bring solely OGRA under ministry of Petroleum.
