The Sindh High Court has ordered Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC) to pay over Rs. 789 million. The amount relates to unpaid gas royalty claimed by Ali Bugti.
Ali Bugti is the grandson of former Balochistan chief minister Nawab Akbar Bugti. He filed the case against OGDC over royalty payments.
The court’s constitutional bench issued the latest order in the case. It also overturned an earlier ruling by a single-member bench.
The earlier decision had rejected Ali Bugti’s claim. It had also directed him to provide a new succession certificate.
The constitutional bench has now set aside that decision. It ordered OGDC to pay Rs. 789,092,099 in gas royalty.
The dispute concerns royalty payments linked to an earlier agreement. According to the petition, OGDC had an agreement with Nawab Zong Khan Bugti.
Zong Khan Bugti died in Florida, United States, on March 3, 1995. The agreement concerned payments related to gas royalty.
According to the case details, OGDC continued making royalty payments until 2011. The company then stopped making the payments in 2011.
Ali Bugti later approached the Sindh High Court over the unpaid amount. His petition sought royalty payments covering the period from 2011 to 2016.
The petitioner argued that the royalty payments were due under the existing arrangement. His lawyer presented the relevant details before the court.
The case was heard by the constitutional bench of the Sindh High Court. The bench reviewed the earlier decision and the petitioner’s claim.
Following the proceedings, the court overturned the single-bench ruling. It also directed OGDC to clear the specified royalty amount.
The ordered amount stands at Rs. 789,092,099. This is equivalent to more than Rs. 789 million.
The court’s decision provides relief to Ali Bugti regarding the disputed royalty payments. It also changes the outcome of the earlier single-bench proceedings.
OGDC has been directed to make the payment under the latest court order. The company’s response to the decision was not included in the available information.
ProPakistani reportedly contacted OGDC for its comments on the court order. Any response from the company may provide further details about the case.
The dispute highlights a long-running issue over gas royalty payments. The claim covers several years of alleged unpaid dues.
The court order now requires OGDC to pay the specified amount. It also sets aside the previous decision that had rejected the claim.
The development is significant for the parties involved in the royalty dispute. Further proceedings may depend on the implementation of the court’s order.
In other related news also read OGDC Discovers Significant Gas And Condensate Reserves In Khairpur
For now, the Sindh High Court’s constitutional bench has ruled in favour of Ali Bugti. OGDC has been ordered to pay the outstanding gas royalty of Rs. 789,092,099.
