Ahmed Mukhtar Naqshbandi
ISLAMABAD: The Minister of State for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, said on Thursday that Pakistan has sufficient fuel stocks as he warned petroleum hoarders of dire consequences.
The minister said the country had 20 days of stock of petrol and approximately 29 days of diesel available.
His statement comes amid reports that petrol pumps in several cities of Punjab had suspended their operations, with some rationing petrol owing to fuel shortage.
He said a crackdown was underway against the hoarders who have kept aside petroleum products in hopes of selling them at higher prices later on.
The minister pledged strict action against hoarders, adding that oil marketing companies (OMCs) have said that they have sufficient fuel stocks available.
OMCs directed to ensure unstinted fuel supply to pumps: Malik
Malik said petrol pump owners were also complaining that OMCs were not supplying them petrol, adding that all OMCs had been directed to ensure unrestricted supply of petrol to pumps.
He said the action was taken against a large number of pumps involved in hoarding during inspection raids carried out the previous day, adding that multiple pumps were sealed alongside the imposition of fines.
For the past several days, people had been facing fuel shortage issues in multiple cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad, where several fuel pumps have either no or a meager supply of petrol for the last many days allegedly due to less supply from OMCs.
