PM Imran directs officials to take punitive action against those responsible for petrol shortage
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Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed officials to take the "maximum punitive action" against those responsible for the artificial shortage of petrol in the country.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the premier issued the directives while chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet in Islamabad.
The cabinet noted that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and the Petroleum Division have the legal authority to physically enter and inspect the storage facilities of oil companies.
It directed the Ministry of Petroleum to form raiding teams, comprising representatives from the Petroleum Division, Ogra, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the district administration. Teams will be responsible for inspecting all petrol depots, the statement read.
The teams have also been given the authority to enter any site. "Anyone found involved in hoarding shall face [the] full force of [the] law, including arrest and the forced release of such stores," it added.
Further, any company found failing to maintain mandatory stocks and supply to its outlets, as per their licence, shall face punitive action, including the suspension and cancellation of said licence and heavy fines.
Imran directed the Petroleum Division and Ogra to take necessary action in order to ensure regular supply within the next 48 to 72 hours.
During the meeting, the Ministry of Energy informed the cabinet that the total supply in June last year was 650,000 metric tons while for June 2020 it was 850,000 metric tons.
The cabinet urged the public to refrain from panic buying. "Stocks being hoarded will be identified and made available in the market, while action will be taken against hoarders," the statement said.
The premier also directed the petroleum minister and Ogra to ensure that all oil marketing companies (OMCs) maintain 21 days' stock to meet the conditions of their licence.
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Jun 09, 2020 09:51pm
How can he take action against his own people. He is doing only lip service and no practical steps on any issue. Social media has ruined our country because PTI is a party of social media only
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Jun 09, 2020 10:06pm
All talk and no action, that's how IK governs.
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Jun 09, 2020 10:13pm
This is a test case for the government. Hoarding in the face of price reduction is not new, but none ever faced the legal punitive action emboldening others to follow the suit. IK’s directives if implemented will set a good precedent to deter others in future. Otherwise, many more episodes of hoarding of other commodities will follow.
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Jun 09, 2020 10:25pm
It should be very easy to find out. Government would have imported a certain volume. Then distributed a certain volume. You can't store petrol in homes so would be easy to find out. This government needs to stop this nuisance.
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Jun 09, 2020 10:34pm
Dismiss your Petroleum and Energy ministers who are doing good for nothing. You were asking for the resignation of ministers on small matter´s during PMLN time. Now why you are not practicing what you were preaching some years ago?.
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Jun 09, 2020 10:34pm
What punitive action? what about Mr.Aziz, Sugar and Wheat crisis , any punitive action against them?
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Jun 09, 2020 10:38pm
Sain ! Now this is happening under your regime Mr. PM , so what should be you reaction as compare to previous govts responses towards these inflations and bribes .
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Jun 09, 2020 10:59pm
In 2015- same reasons were driver
MoE and PSO officials were suspended
In 2020- awaited
Penalty in OGRA rules is rs 10 m with 1m per day for each day violation continues ?
Licence cancellation is not read in the rules. If true how is then the minister proposing cancellation
Was the situation not monitored given 2015 experience
MoE stopped imports and reopened with monthly review is done by DG oil
OMCs reduced imports due to dropping oil prices plus some refineries stopped production
Besides the formality of writing letters by MoE and ogra and not acting on complaint/warning by PSO last month - were any measures undertaken to increase imports, penalise omcs proactively
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Jun 09, 2020 11:13pm
Talk talk talk....same old talk
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Jun 09, 2020 11:14pm
@Khan, Agree he should relax and let the petroleum ministry handle this. These things here are part of routine . A committee will be made that will look after the things and public will forget it.
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Jun 09, 2020 11:22pm
Salute to PMIK.
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Jun 09, 2020 11:27pm
the notice was taken after 9 days of shortage asking authorities to restore the suply wihtin 2-3 days. it makes 12 days of the month.
how efficient and timely the action by the sleepy government is this.
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Jun 09, 2020 11:40pm
Bravo to brave PM and government to go after these mafias who had been sucking poor people's blood for decades...
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Jun 09, 2020 11:43pm
catch them, then let them fly to England.
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Jun 10, 2020 12:09am
How come IK always talking about hoarding in his government be it be sugar, atta or now petrol. Looks like his government is not giving fair pricing to the traders, I have observed that when ever the petrol prices goes down the station hold it because they have bought the petrol at a higher price and how come they sell at a lower price. They can only sell it if they get credit on their inventory.
It is definite a case of bad governance.
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Jun 10, 2020 12:27am
Regardless of the petroleum scarcity in Pakistan, govt. should open and import gas from neighouring country even despite the sanctions in Iran too. .Pakistan needs to take any form of actions to gear up the economy and to meet the peoples daily requirements. I hope the govt. of Pakistan is fully aware of it.
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Jun 10, 2020 12:52am
We have many petrol pumps in the name of Zardari and co. in Karachi, Hydrabaad and across Sindh.
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Jun 10, 2020 01:29am
2 factors owes to the current petrol turmoil: 1. Mandatory storage of 21 days by OMCs ; except PSO (perhaps), none of the company maintain such stock.
2. More than 50 OMCs registered in Pakistan, hardly 3-4 companies supplying to almost all of Pakistan.
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Jun 10, 2020 01:32am
@Haroon Ashraf, ik always gives directives...i could be pm as well, "i give directive to improve economy", " i give directive to get rid of poverty" , it seems easy.. i am still waiting for the culprit of this years sugar and wheat price increase to be dealt with full force as promised, i dont care about investigation into last 25 years of sugar pricing for now.. sort out this years culprits, we all know who they are .
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Jun 10, 2020 02:21am
It is close to two years of completion of PTI government but there seems that PM Imran Khan led PTI government has not been able to grip the on going problems which a common man is facing in the country.
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Jun 10, 2020 02:23am
Pathetic government. Why don't you fire your incapable petro minister?
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Jun 10, 2020 02:47am
After CA collected an initial $20,000,000 from a previous regime, they are continuing their effort to harm Pakistan to make the present government look bad. Maybe they will collect more.
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Jun 10, 2020 02:54am
PM IK has so many promises to fulfill. This is one more.
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Jun 10, 2020 03:25am
Punative action - words only. Pakistan a land of shattered dreams and full of corrupt to the bone. A country where criminals like convicted Nawaz Sharif enjoying cool breeze in streets of London in his expensive flat with full comfort and his daughter enjoying in Pakistan?
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Jun 10, 2020 03:41am
Last evening I travelled from Multan to Faisalabad. While travelling on GT road, Total, PSO and other brands on the outskirts of Multan had the petrol stocks, however, they would simply not sell it. I appreciate ‘Shell‘ who were selling the oil as usual. No presence of district administration at any station. I am witness to it that our police (in Faisalabad) made lot of money during Ramadan while enforcing lock-down.
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Jun 10, 2020 03:56am
I am hearing only Pakistan facing petrol shortage. In carona time where is the consumption?
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Jun 10, 2020 04:12am
Over 10,000 such orders issued and is there a mechanism to review and take a stock?
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Jun 10, 2020 04:30am
It’s your government, you are responsible Mr. PM.
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Jun 10, 2020 05:42am
Loud words without action! Only good for media !
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Jun 10, 2020 06:45am
Government should immediately import electric vehicles from China , Ban petrol vehicles and teach hoarders a lesson
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Jun 10, 2020 06:48am
In all the previous cases, PM has taken strict action and punished the culprit. In this case also the result will be the same.
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Jun 10, 2020 07:26am
Why not a committee first this time too?
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Jun 10, 2020 07:54am
"maximum punitive action".......after they flee to London.
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Jun 10, 2020 08:14am
PTI leadership including IK have miserably failed on every front since they formed the central government, have wasted two years, achieved nothing but kept creating illusions to fool the nation. One thing is crystal clear, this PTI government would be the most incompetent and total disaster Pakistan ever had in its 70+ years of history.
Better to hold new elections now and let people elect new government otherwise next 3 years of PTI government are going to be complete hell for many Pakistanis.
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Jun 10, 2020 08:14am
Incompetenc at its best.
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Jun 10, 2020 09:32am
It is pathetic that the PM and his horde of ministers never get tired of repeating the word accountability day in and day out but when it comes to the PTI, he conveniently let Jehangir Tareen and his son fly out of the country with full honours. And not a word from the horde! This is gross dishonesty Mr. PM; dishonesty with the country.
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Jun 10, 2020 11:02am
Seems like our prime minister is always “directing “ or “taking notice “. It also seems no one cares much about what you say, direct or take notice.
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