In a letter, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) addressed the province chief secretary regarding the unlawful stockpiling of gasoline and diesel.
The Senior Executive Director for Enforcement, Sohail Ahmed Tariq, informed the chief secretary that market intelligence had led them to 19 establishments in Punjab who were breaking the law by hoarding petroleum supplies and contributing to the shortages in various cities in the province.
The chief secretary was urged to take immediate action to avoid causing any inconvenience to the public. There have been reports of gasoline shortages at fuel stations in major and smaller cities in Punjab, with the problem being particularly acute in cities such as Lahore, Gujranwala, and Faisalabad. The low or non-existent supply of gasoline at gas stations in these cities has been attributed to pressure from oil marketing organizations (OMCs).
According to the Secretary of Information for the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, Khawaja Atif, 70 of the 450 pumps in Lahore are empty, with gas stations in Shahdra, Wagah, Litton Road, and Jain Mandar being closed due to a lack of fuel.
In Gujranwala, over 70% of the stations are without gasoline due to insufficient supply from OMCs. Similar shortages are being experienced in Faisalabad, Okara, Sahiwal, and other districts.
Traders and industry insiders had warned in January that there would be a shortage of petroleum in February due to banks ceasing approval and facilitation of payments for imports due to low foreign exchange reserves.
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