ISLAMABAD The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has asked the Petroleum Ministry, OGRA, Sui Northern Gas Company and Sui Southern Gas Company to submit a report within 10 days regarding the raise in gas prices and the procedure for billing. The PAC meeting, chaired by Ch Nisar Ali Khan held on Wednesday, also discussed the LPG quota scam as the OGRA also presented names of those 23 companies, which had been awarded Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the past by ignoring the merit. Elaborating the point regarding the increase in gas prices, the PAC Chairman termed the 18 per cent increase in gas tariff as extra load on public. He also said that the increase in gas price was tantamount to rob the rights of general public. Actually the prices were increased only to hide incompetence, the Chairman PAC remarked. He also criticized that the advertisements by gas companies regarding taking austerity steps in gas usage were not more than a ridiculous thing. He also targeted the two-day closure of CNG stations in the country. The committee also took notice on SNGPL for flouting the merit in awarding the LPG quota. He said the gas load management plan for CNG stations was implemented with the approval of Cabinet but the company changed the schedule on its own just after a fortnight. Ch. Nisar also directed the MD SNGPL to provide him a detailed report within ten days on the raise in gas prices and change in load management schedule. OGRA also presented names of those 23 companies, which had been awarded LPG quota in the past by ignoring the merit. Speaking on the occasion Committee member Khawaja Asif said that Chief Executive Iqbal Z. Ahmed (Chairman Associate Group and Jamshoro Joint venture) had remained in NAB custody for several months. He further said that those LPG companies had earned Rs 220 billion in the last three years with no benefit to the national exchequer. The list of 23 companies which gained the LPG quota without merit included Lub Gas (Pvt) Limited, Chief Executive (CE) Iqbal Z Ahmed (chairman associate group and Jamshoro Joint venture), Mehran LPG (Pvt) Limited, CE; Qazi Humayun Fareed (brother to Iqbal Z. Ahmed, SAM Gas (Pvt) Limited, CE: Bushra Aitzaz Ahsan (wife of Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan), Wyn Gas (Pvt) Limited, CE: Zida Nabeel Nawaz, Super Star Gas Company (Pvt) Limited, CE; Captain (r) Bashrat (a close friend of Gen. (r) Pervez Musharraf), Wak Limited, CE; Ammar Ahmed Khan (brother of Senator Waqar Ahmed), Noor LPG Co. (Pvt) Limited, CE; Bilal Jabbar (nephew to Gen. Tariq Hameed), Synergy Resources (Pvt) Limited, Awami Gas (Pvt) Ltd., CE; Maryum Ahsan Maqbool (daughter of former Governor Punjab General Khalid Maqbool), Petroleum Gas (Pvt) Ltd., CE; Fareeda Tariq (wife of General Tariq Hameed, a close friend of Gen. (r) Musharraf, Power Gas (Pvt) Ltd., CE; Muhammad Ali Haider (son-in-law to General Moeenud Din Haider, former Interior Minister Sindh), Golden Gas (Pvt) Ltd., CE; Shahbaz Aftab Khan, OK Gas (Pvt) Ltd, CE; Rehmat Khan (General (r) Rehmat Khan, a friend of Musharraf), Terra Energy (Pvt) Ltd., CE; Farasat Ali Chattha (son-in-law of Chaudhry Shujat Hussain), MNA Energy (Pvt) Ltd, CE; Mir Hussain Raza (son of Syed Ali Raza, president National Bank of Pakistan), Pyramid Gas (Pvt). Ltd, CE: Muhammad Farooq Azam (National Bank Credit Head), Sindh (Pvt). Ltd, CE; Yawar Abbas Mumdni, Sehwan (Pvt). Ltd, CE; Ishtiaq Asif, Petro LPG (Pvt). Ltd, CE; Aamir Shahid (son of Shahid Iqbal, head Habib Metropolitan Bank), Akbar Associate (Pvt). Ltd, CE; Jamal Akbar Ansari (friend of Iqbal Z. Ahmed), Ali Brothers, CE; Sardar Ali Khan (Aftab Ahmed Sherpao family).