The Supreme Court on Wednesday remarked that the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) crisis in the country was due to the corruption of Rs80 billion, expressing annoyance over the authorities’ failure to arrest the former chairman of Ogra in a scam case.

A two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawad S Khawaja, heard the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) scam case pertaining to orders for Tauqir Sadiq’s arrest.

The court expressed annoyance over the police failure to arrest the former chairman of Ogra and ordered to arrest and present Tauqir Sadiq before the court by December 26.

Inspector General Police, Punjab, Haji Muhammad Habibur Rehman, and National Highways & Motorway Police Inspector General Zafar Abbas Lak appeared before the bench.

During the hearing, Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked: “The crisis of CNG occurred due to the corruption of Tauqir Sadiq and if anti-terrorist cell of police cannot arrest Tauqir Sadiq then how would it arrest the terrorists.”

“NAB [National Accountability Bureau] is of the view that IGs of Punjab Police and National Highways & Motorway Police are not cooperating in apprehending the Ogra former chairman,” Justice Khawaja added.

Rejecting the NAB allegation, the Punjab IG told the court: “We have formed a team headed by CCPO Lahore in order to arrest Tauqeer Sadiq.”Then the SC ordered authorities’ to arrest and present Tauqir Sadiq before court till 26th December.