Governor KP briefed on gas supply, women ombudsperson office performance

PESHAWAR, Mar 09 (APP):Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Monday was given separate departmental briefings at the Governor House regarding gas supply infrastructure in the province and the performance of the provincial women ombudsperson office.

Officials of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) briefed the Governor about gas production, domestic and industrial consumption capacity and the overall gas supply infrastructure in the province. General Manager SNGPL Waqar Ullah Khan informed the Governor about 272 cases of gas theft reported in Peshawar and other parts of the province.

The briefing also covered the provision of new gas connections, improvement in gas pressure and a project for replacement of old and worn-out gas pipelines in Peshawar. Officials said that 29 projects worth Rs555 million were currently underway to upgrade the outdated gas network.

The Governor was further informed that new gas pipelines stretching over 256 kilometres were being laid in Peshawar and Charsadda, along with plans to provide around 35,000 domestic gas connections.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Kundi said that ensuring better gas supply to the public was among the government’s priorities.

He directed officials to bring forward new projects to ensure uninterrupted gas supply with improved pressure, particularly in remote districts including Dera Ismail Khan.

He also stressed the need for effective measures to curb gas theft and further improve the gas network across the province.

Similarly, Governor Kundi was also given a briefing by the office of the provincial women ombudsperson. Provincial Women Ombudsperson Rubab Mehdi informed the Governor about the mandate and overall performance of the institution.

She said that from July to December, the office heard 8,250 complaints related to women’s property issues, out of which decisions had been announced in 105 cases.

The Governor was also informed that the ombudsperson office organized open courts in Malakand, Mardan and Hazara divisions to facilitate women in lodging complaints.

The briefing also proposed holding a joint webinar involving the Governor, the ombudsperson and vice chancellors to address harassment issues faced by female employees in universities, along with a proposed memorandum of understanding between the provincial and national assemblies.

Governor Kundi appreciated the performance of the ombudsperson office in ensuring timely redressal of complaints and provision of justice to women.

He said the role of the provincial women ombudsperson was vital in protecting women’s rights and resolving their grievances, adding that women unfortunately continued to face harassment and discrimination at workplaces and in society.

The Governor emphasized the need to further enhance the capacity and resources of the ombudsperson office to effectively address complaints filed by women across the province.