ISLAMABAD - In spite of setting up a local manufacturing plant in the country, the gas utility company Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) is purchasing parts of domestic meter units through M/S T.H Syed from China sources told The Nation on Sunday.
According to details, under the grab of pecuniary benefits and with the connivance of some SSGCL high-ups the gas utility company is purchasing domestic meter parts from a Chinese Company (ITRON) at a rate of 12 Euro or $16.5. The same part of the domestic gas meter costs only $9.5 if imported from China directly. But just for minting the commissions and kickbacks the SSGCL authorities have out sourced the purchasing through the M/S T.H.Syed (ITRON) and a net profit of $7 or (Rs: 735) per unit is being pocketed by the provider (M/S T.H.Syed) and the purchaser (Irfan Zafar) SGM of the SSGCL the sources disclosed.
The mafia working for the pecuniary benefits in the SSGCL never called a proper tender for the purpose of purchasing these parts of the domestic gas meters that dented millions of rupees to the national kitty and interestingly all these parts are of plastic and can be manufactured in Pakistan at about 50pc of the imported cost the sources added. Similarly, every year more than 500,000 meter units are imported from China at a cost of 12 Euros instead of Europe as claimed and about Rs: 360 million on the purchase of these domestic gas units are minted jointly by the supplier and the purchaser and in last five years SSGCL has lost about Rs 1,800 million in the purchase of domestic gas meter parts, the sources added.
In 2011, the gas utility company purchased about 620,000 meter units, about 520,000 meter units were purchased in 2012 and in 2013 the SSGCL purchased 520,000 meter units and through this buying the high-ups and their corrupt cronies minted billions, the sources disclosed.