PM Orders Strict Action Against Petroleum Hoarders

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed provincial governments to take strict legal action against hoarders of petroleum products, warning that petrol pumps involved in creating artificial shortages would be shut down immediately.
Chairing a high-level meeting on petroleum supply, the prime minister was briefed by the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) on the country’s fuel reserves in light of the evolving regional situation.
Officials informed the meeting that sufficient petroleum stocks were currently available to meet national demand. Despite the adequate supply, the prime minister instructed provincial authorities to take firm action against elements involved in hoarding fuel and manipulating the market.
He said any petrol pump found engaged in such “unethical practices” should be sealed immediately, its licence revoked and legal proceedings initiated against the owners.
The prime minister also directed the federal petroleum minister to visit the provinces and, in coordination with provincial governments, devise a comprehensive strategy to ensure the conservation of petroleum products and their uninterrupted supply to consumers.
Additionally, he ordered the development of a digital dashboard to monitor the movement and distribution of petroleum products across the country. The system will enable real-time data sharing with provinces and help authorities track transportation and supply chains more effectively.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Jam Kamal Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik and Owais Khan Leghari, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar Khan, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Jameel Ahmad, chief secretaries of the four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, along with senior officials.