Gas Missing in Pipelines but Bills Over Rs 18,000 for 26 Units; Enmity of Government Institutions Toward the Public at Its Peak

QUETTA (Daily Qudrat Quetta) – Sui Southern Gas Company’s practice of allegedly sending heavy gas bills to consumers in Quetta continues, where anxiety and anger prevail among citizens over a bill of Rs 18,410 sent to a consumer who used only 26 units of gas. Consumers have demanded that the relevant authorities take immediate notice of the situation.

According to consumers, the formal onset of winter has not even begun in Quetta, yet Sui Southern Gas Company has started sending heavy bills. They say that on one hand there are complaints of air instead of gas in the gas pipelines, while on the other, bills of thousands of rupees are being sent to consumers who use only a small quantity of gas. Citizens say that sending bills of more than Rs 18,000 to consumers who use less than 100 units of gas amounts to injustice against them, especially in circumstances where they are not even provided the required quantity of gas. They raised the question that when the gas supply itself is affected, why are heavy bills being sent to consumers.

Consumers claimed that despite the orders of the Balochistan High Court, Sui Southern Gas Company is sending heavy bills, which they say is a violation of judicial orders. They also demanded an investigation into the matter and correction of the bills.

Citizens have appealed to Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti, the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court and other relevant authorities to take immediate notice of the heavy gas bills, review the bills sent to low-consumption consumers, and take effective measures to rid consumers of the alleged additional billing.