MARDAN: Filling stations have been selling petroleum products on the prices of their own choice, violating the rates fixed by the government, local people alleged.

Riaz Hussain, working in a private company, told Dawn on Friday that on one hand the government had decreased the prices of petroleum products in Pakistan not according to the reduction in their rates internationally, and on the other it had not been taking notice of the fuel stations fleecing the motorists.

He alleged that some pumps were charging Rs64.50 per litre for petrol and Rs72.8, 8 per litre for diesel.

Amir Zeeb Khan, a local trader, deplored that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led provincial government had failed to keep check on prices of petroleum products. He said people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa voted PTI to power with the hope that it would take prompt action against those who were looting general public in one way or the other, but the provincial rulers had failed in that respect.

Akhtar Nawaz, district president of petroleum dealers association, Mardan, told Dawn that owners of fuel pumps had been getting three per cent commission over petroleum products, which was not sufficient to cover their expenditures. He claimed that they had been charging Rs1.50 more per liter on petrol and diesel in order to cover the expenditures incurred on security guards, generators and other expenses.

However, he admitted that they had increased prices of petroleum products without the official permission. “We are trying to convince the government to allow us to charge the customers extra on POL products to make up for our expenditures.”

Dr Imran Sheikh, Deputy Commissioner Mardan, said he was going to constitute a team to carry out survey to pinpoint the pumps overcharging people. He said he would not only impose heavy fine on the pumps overcharging but would also seal them.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2016