The Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd. has stepped up its efforts to bring down gas thieves. In order to discourage the rising incidences of gas theft, the Company’s Security Services and Counter Gas Theft Operations (SS&CGTO) Department, along with Customer Relation Department, (CRD), and Recovery Department teams have been carrying out surveys to identify the areas infested with gas theft. As a result of these surveys, the teams then have been carrying out raids and apprehending all those involved in this crime against the society.
Recently, the SS&CGTO teams in collaboration with SSGC Police and recovery teams conducted a joint raid in Haji Rabri Shop at Iqbal Plaza, North Karachi, Karachi, where the culprit was using gas directly through the Company’s service line. Muhammad Shareef s/o Nanhay Khan has been arrested for being involved in gas theft for commercial purposes. Meanwhile, in another joint raid carried out at Shah Car Care Service at New Saeedabad, Baldia Town, Karachi, Muhammad Shoaib s/o Muhammad Ayub was found to be stealing gas directly from SSGC’s main service line for powering gas generator. Appropriate claim will be raised against the accused.
The Company also achieved prosecution success where the Hon’ble Special Judge Gas Utility Court, Karachi, convicted Jamaluddin, who was accused of using gas directly through the Company’s main distribution line. The culprit has already paid Rs. 551,000/- to SSGC as quantum of loss, with a fine of Rs. 10,000/-.
In addition to the aforementioned commercial raids, the teams also identified domestic areas infested with gas theft, and removed a total of 809 illegal gas connections with 592 disconnections made in Karachi, 192 disconnections in Quetta, and 15, 5, and 5, illegal gas connections in Hyderabad, Larkana, and Nawabshah respectively.
Gas theft is a serious crime against the community and SSGC will take strict action against those involved in this heinous activity.