Oil theft continues in KP, NA body told

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that was investigating billions of rupees crude oil theft in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources on Friday that officials of a Hungarian oil and gas company were involved in this theft that has reached to the tune of around a trillion rupees over last three years.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources that met here with MNA Malik Ihtebar Khan here was apprised by the FIA official that as per the agency’s findings, three methods were being used to steal the crude oil; they include, puncturing the pipe, alteration of crude oil tankers with enhancing capacity of each tanker to carry 1,000 litre additional oil and use of water browsers.

He said 250 water tankers were intercepted in crude oil theft activity but no serious action was taken against them. The investigation agency also complained to the committee that the company was not cooperating with the agency in oil theft probe. He requested the committee to direct Secretary Ministry of Petroleum to make available the required record of the company. On his request the committee directed the secretary to provide all the record to investigating agency. The secretary assured the body of providing record within a week.