Criminals steal oil of millions of rupees from PARCO pipeline

SUKKUR: A gang of unknown criminals has been stealing oil for the past six months through an illegal connection that was drilled into the main supply line of the Pak-Arab Refinery Company Limited in Kashmore.

Reports said unknown people had dug out an illegal underground connection in the main supply line of the PARCO near Dakaan Bungalow between the railways lines and Indus Highway to steal oil.

The sources said the police have so far failed to find the culprits, and claimed to be involved in the scam that caused millions of rupees loss to the national exchequer. It is claimed the Kashmore-Kandhkot Police are allegedly one of the accomplices in the crime.

It is pertinent to mention that in 2018, AD Khuwaja, the then IGP Sindh, had taken notice of the issue and constituted a probe committee that had submitted a report, identifying the involvement of district police authorities.

The former IGP Sindh had dismissed several SHO rank police officers from service, and it was then decided that if such a crime occurred again, the jurisdiction police would be held responsible and the SHO would be placed under suspension. Owing to this, for a period of three years, there was not a single case of oil theft reported by the PARCO but the change of command in the Sindh Police encouraged the criminals to start their oil theft business again.

The PARCO management has demanded a high-level inquiry and raised their concerns over the security measures and the conduct of the Kashmore Police.