PML-N Senior Vice-President Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday remarked that Pakistan had become first country in the world where diesel was cheaper than LNG due to the PTI government’s corruption and incompetence, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

He was talking to media persons after appearing before an accountability court to attend the LNG reference’s hearing, as he mentioned the mismanagement and corrupt practices at the government level resulting in not importing the required amount of LNG on time and later at a higher rate when decided to do so.    

Abbasi said LNG was available around the world at the one-third of the oil price but the things had been completely reversed in the country which would pay an additional amount of Rs11 billion for the two shipments after the tenders opened yesterday day.

In the month of January, he added, Pakistan would pay an additional amount of Rs25 billion for LNG imports while the country had so far suffered a loss of Rs122 billion in the current year.

The power would be generated through furnace oil and diesel, making it expensive for the consumers, Abbasi said and noted that the only beneficiaries was the oil lobby.

He challenged the government members to answer two questions: 1) What is the annual payment made annually to the LNG terminal located at Port Qasim, Karachi, no matter any imports are made or not? 2) How much the financial advantage the government gets if a diesel-run power plant owned by a government minister is fuelled by LNG – given that there are a total of 15 such units in the country?  

The former prime minister wondered that they had been waiting for the last two-and-a-half year to understand what the charge was against him.

He told reporters that they requested the court again to ensure the complainant – Rasheed Ahmed – should appear in person as he had not done so for the last two-and-a-half years.

Rasheed, on whose complaint an inquiry was launched, must explain the source and the nature of his information which led to the current reference about the LNG terminal set up by the Sui Southern, Abbasi remarked.

While hoping that the report is incorrect, Abbasi revealed that reliable sources had informed him that the sitting DG Oil at the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) was a veterinary doctor. 

The government members would soon hold another press conference without sharing the truth with the people, the PML-N leader said.

From the prime ministers and his ministers to the spokespersons and lower level, the only thing they do is lying, said the former prime minister.