Karachi:
Sindh President of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Nisar Khuhro, has termed the severe gas load-shedding and low pressure in Sindh as a violation of Article 158 of the Constitution. He accused the federal government of repeatedly violating the constitution and demanded that Sindh be provided its rightful share of gas as mandated under the law. According to Article 158, the province from which gas is extracted should have its needs met first. Despite Sindh producing 65% of the country’s total gas output (2,100 MMCFD), the province is not receiving its due share.
Khuhro also rejected the decision by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to increase gas prices by 25%. He criticized the lack of provincial representation in OGRA, which he said leads to arbitrary decisions. He urged the Prime Minister to take notice of the price hike and review the decision. He also called for Sindh’s representation in OGRA to ensure decisions are made through consultation.
The PPP leader highlighted that the gas shortage and low pressure in Sindh are severely affecting domestic consumers and industries. He accused the federal government of creating a gas crisis in Sindh to force the province into purchasing expensive LNG. Khuhro further emphasized that the federal government should not treat Sindh unfairly.
Khuhro also called for the immediate withdrawal from the controversial canal project, pointing out that there is no additional water available to supply the new canals. He reiterated that Sindh has not been receiving its fair share of water under the 1991 Water Accord and strongly objected to the diversion of water through the Chashma-Jhelum and TP Link canals.
Regarding the National Finance Commission (NFC), Khuhro criticized the federal finance minister’s statement seeking to revise the NFC award to reduce the provinces’ share. He stressed that Article 160 of the Constitution ensures that the provinces’ share cannot be reduced, only increased. He also noted that a new NFC award should be issued every five years, but the federal government has failed to do so, likely out of fear that the provinces’ share may increase.
Khuhro demanded that the new NFC award be issued in 2025, with the provinces’ share increased to 57.5%, while the federal share should be reduced to 42.5%. He thanked the party workers and the public for their massive participation in the Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto rally.
