Govt ensures uninterrupted fuel supply amid law & order concerns

Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik assured on Thursday that the government would take all necessary measures to ensure an uninterrupted supply of fuel in the event of any law-and-order situation or road closures. Designating this during a meeting to review payments under the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme, Malik directed all relevant stakeholders to make advance arrangements to facilitate the smooth movement of petroleum products.

Representing various entities, including Pakistan Railways, OGRA, OCAC, OMCs, PPDA, APPPDA, and officials, the meeting aimed to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products across the nation.

Chairing the meeting, Malik appreciated the petroleum dealers’ associations for their cooperation and support for the Prime Minister’s Fuel Relief Scheme. The Additional Secretary Railways assured that Pakistan Railways would make available the maximum number of train bogies for transporting High Speed Diesel (HSD), particularly to ensure the continuity of supplies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in case of any road transportation disruption.

PSO, in response, informed the meeting that additional stocks were already arranged at critical depots to guarantee uninterrupted fuel supplies.

To prevent any shutdowns at Attock Refinery Limited (ARL), Malik directed that steps be taken for uninterrupted crude supply and product dispatch. The meeting reviewed the payment mechanism under the Fuel Relief Scheme, noting that payments had been made to over 8,500 out of approximately 10,000+ petrol pumps by Thursday. The minister directed that minor issues, including account number mismatches, be resolved promptly to ensure timely payments to the remaining petrol pumps and continued public relief under the scheme.

Malik also directed OGRA to take action against any petrol pump denying eligible customers the fuel relief provided by the scheme.

Malik Khuda Baksh, Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association, conveyed that the scheme was functioning successfully and assured the government of the association’s continued support. The All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association, through Humayun Khan and Nauman Butt, expressed gratitude to the government for including petrol pump owners and affirmed their full support for the scheme.

OCAC Chairman Nawed Tanwir Abbasi echoed these sentiments, calling the scheme a successful initiative aimed at providing relief to the public.