ISALAMABAD, Nov 26: Justice Mohammad Munir Paracha of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Wednesday issued notice to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), directing the authority to respond to a writ petition challenging the proposed hike in the prices of natural gas.

The IHC directed Ogra to submit its reply in the writ petition filed by Kokab Iqbal advocate praying to the court to stop the government from increasing the gas prices.

The petitioner maintained that the Sui Northern Gas Limited (SNGL) had recommended increase of 7.667 per cent per kg in the existing price of gas while Sui Southern Gas Limited (SSGL) had proposed an increase of 6.38 per cent per kg in the price. If passed by Ogra the new prices would become effective from January 1, 2009.

The petitioner has further said that despite the fact that India has got minimum reserves of natural gas, price of the commodity there is Rs22 per kg.

On the other hand Pakistan has rich reserves of gas but the price is about Rs60 per kg.

Meanwhile, the IHC has dismissed a petition seeking halt to military operation in the restive areas of the NWFP with the view that the government had been performing its duties and was not committing any human rights violation.

IHC Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam dismissed the petition of Raja Liaqat, chairman of Pakistan International Human Rights, announcing the verdict after the normal court timings.

The court observed that the government was performing its lawful duties and had not committed any violation of human rights while conducting the operation.

It also observed that militancy in Swat and other areas was on the rise and the government had resorted to military operation after exhausting all other opportunities.

The petitioner, a resident of Mingora, has sought the intervention of the court in ending the military operation in Swat and the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (Fata). The petitioner had maintained that several education institutions in Swat district had been torched and there was no protection for common citizen, women and children.

Due to the military operations, citizens have been virtually restrained from attending their everyday work. Pounding of rockets and mortar shells in the vicinity and the sound of these blasts have seriously affected the health of pregnant women and a number of women in the district had lost their pregnancies. Besides, a number of persons are suffering from gastroenterology on account of unhygienic environment, the petitioner had contended.

Raja Liaqat making the federal and provincial governments as well as the interior ministry respondents had prayed for control of the law and order situation and avoidance of violation of human rights. Besides, he had sought freedom of movement, freedom of business, security of life and property and that of those attending educational institutions.