PESHAWAR: Various political parties have threatened to agitate from Jan 15 against the government`s plan to shift the proposed oil refinery from Karak to Kohat.

They also demanded better oil and gas royalty for Karak and recruitment of locals in oil and gas projects.

After attending a meeting of Khattak Qaumi Jirga at Peshawar Press Club, Rehmat Salam Khattak and Farid Khan Toofan of Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz, Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel and Shah Abdul Aziz of Jamiat Ulema-iIslami-Fazl, Tasleem Iqbal of Jamaat-i-Islami, former MNA Mufti Ajmal, Abdullah advocate, Col (r) Khalid Khattak and other political activists told reporters that around 0.6 million people were ready to take part in the protest against the government`s decision and stop supply of crude oil to the new proposed oil refinery.

Mr Rehmat said the government had approved the setting up of oil refinery in Krapa area by considering feasibility of Pakistan State Oil company but the former caretaker government at the behest of a former minister had decided to shift it to Khushhal Garh area of Kohat district.

He said the refinery`s shifting was proposed on the simple pretext thatthere was water shortage at the proposed site of Krapa, which was technically feasible for the construction of the refinery.

The PML-N leader said it totally unjustifiable to shift the proposed oil refinery from Karak to Kohat without any solid reason and that if the new plan was implemented, then the government would have to construct around 70 to 100 kilometer long pipeline to supply oil to other areas.

He alleged that the plan had been changed due to interference of MPA Amjad Afridi, who belonged to Kohat area, while Khushhal Garh was located in his electoral constituency.

`We will not allow supplying oil from Karak to Attock oil refinery if our demands are not accepted and in case of any untoward incident the entire responsibility will rest with the government,`he said.

Mr Rehmat said around 50 per cent oil reserves existed in Karak and the residents would also block supply of oil to Attock refinery and Pak-Arab Refinery Limited in protest. On the occasion, Mr Farid Khan said the low gas pressure was multiplying the miserles of the people in Karak.

He asked the incumbent provincial government to fulfil its commitment to increase oil and gas royalty quota up 30 per cent.

The PML-N leader urged the government to give jobs to local technical experts and engineers in the projects underway in Karak.

He asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to take serious steps for addressing the Karak people`s concerns over the shifting of the refinery.