A suspected gas theft network operating in Karachi’s Gulzar-e-Hijri area has been uncovered, with authorities arresting three people accused of storing stolen gas in large plastic bags to run generators and illegally supply electricity to hundreds of residents and businesses.
According to local news channel, oficials from Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) raided a site in Karachi’s Gulzar-e-Hijri area and arrested three suspects accused of siphoning off natural gas, storing it in plastic bags, and using it to produce electricity.
An SSGC spokesperson said the suspects were operating two gas-powered generators using the stolen gas. During the raid, officials recovered two 33 kVA generators and one 41.3 kVA generator, which were being used to illegally supply electricity to around 300 apartments and 100 shops in a residential and commercial complex.
Authorities said the suspects charged consumers an upfront fee of approximately Rs20,000 and a monthly payment of Rs2,000 for the illegal electricity supply.
The spokesperson said all unauthorized gas pipelines used for the theft were dismantled during the operation, and the illegal gas supply feeding the generators was disconnected.
The raid was carried out with police assistance, and a case has been registered against the three suspects, identified as Rahmatullah, Hayat Masood, and Saleem Masood.
Officials also warned that the large plastic bags filled with gas and stored on rooftops posed a serious safety hazard, saying they could have exploded like bombs and caused widespread destruction.
