Citizens complain against increasing incidents of gas meters theft
Sui Gas official regretted for some serious flaws in the system.
ISLAMABAD (APP):The residents of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have complained against a sudden surge in the incidents of gas meters’ theft alleging that the activity was being carried out in connivance with the relevant department’s racketeers.
Malik Jamshed, a resident of Burma Town whose meter was stolen, said when his wife woke up early morning to prepare breakfast there was no gas in the stove. He said he thought it was load-shedding but he was astonished to know that his meter was lifted in the darkness of night. Jamshed said two more meters in a day light were also ripped-off from the locality and his neighbours Gulnawaz Abbasi and Malik Asif were among the victims.He also complained for Police’s reluctance in registering an FIR against the culprits.
Another victim of the gas meter theft Chaudhry Rasheed, who resides in Khanna Dak,a locality of the capital, said he was not the only victim but many people in the area are deprived of their meters in a quick succession of time. He said people are now installing steel cages around their meters to lock them to ensure their safety. “Once a meter is stolen it is an herculean task to get a new-one installed to restore the facility”, he remarked.
Hassan Nawaz, an advocate of the High Court whose meter was also lifted from outside house in Shakriyal, Rawalpindi, said he submitted an application in the nearest police station against the relevant gas administration of the area and his new meter was fixed with in a couple of days. He said “an ordinary thief cannot dare to sell the state’s property because nobody is willing to buy it even a rag dealer”. He termed it concerned department’s black sheep’s’ activity,who he said, may be reinstalling them for new subscribers in some other areas of the country to make money.
An official of the Sui Gas Northern Company requesting not to be named admitted the possibility of under the table involvement of some racketeers in this illegal trade from with in the department. He also regretted for some serious flaws in the system which were encouraging these vicious and earning bad name for the organization. These lifted meters may have been reused or reinstalled in some specific areas of the country where manual ledger system was still in vogue, the official informed.
When contacted the officials of the Police Stations, Shahzad Town and Khanna said a number of cases of meter theft were registered with them and police’s specially constituted teams were in pursuit of these bandits and soon they will be brought to book.
