ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani integrated gas company said on Sunday had discovered a 1,500-meter (1.5-kilometer long) illegal gas pipeline this week in Islamabad, warning that legal action will be taken against those involved in installing the pipeline.

Pakistan faces ongoing struggles to meet the rising demand for natural gas due to the country’s growing energy needs and supply-demand disparities. Domestic natural gas production in Pakistan declined by about five percent last year, according to the country’s energy ministry. About 25 percent of Pakistan’s natural gas consumption relies on imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

To enhance electricity and gas supply while reducing losses, Pakistan’s caretaker government launched a nationwide crackdown against gas theft in September. Through the crackdown, the SNGPL said it had disconnected hundreds of illegal gas connections across the country.

The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) discovered the illegal pipeline extending from Japan Road Kangota Syedan Village to a private housing society in Islamabad, SNGPL Islamabad spokesperson Shahid Akram said.

“Based on the SNGPL vigilance team’s report, a joint operation involving our task force teams and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials was conducted on December 8 to dismantle an illicit 1500-meter gas pipeline,” Akram told Arab News.

The spokesperson said someone from the private housing society, which he did not specify by name, installed the illegal pipeline. He said gas meters were also shifted to the newly established society from another area in a bid to give off the impression that the society had access to gas.

Akram said this was done to falsely raise the prices of the plots in the housing society.

“We have completely dismantled the pipeline and removed the gas connections while the FIA is currently investigating and seeking to identify culprits within and outside the department,” Akram said.

He said that based on the FIA’s report, a First Information Report (FIR) would be registered against those found guilty.

“Departmental actions will be taken if individuals within are found involved, but so far no arrests have been made as the FIA is verifying facts before proceeding with a proper FIR,” Akram said.

He said the SNGPL was closely coordinating with the FIA and is committed to taking action against those involved in installing the illegal gas pipeline. 

Akram said the SNGPL has a vigilance team that monitors a specific area and gathers information on illegal activities. He said the vigilance team refers its discoveries to another team: the Unaccounted For Gas (UFG) action team. 

The UFG team, he clarified, conducts raids in collaboration with the FIA. 

“Our ongoing campaign against gas theft and illegal connections is yielding positive results where we have recovered millions in outstanding payments and disconnected many illegal connections,” Akram said.