ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed authorities to launch a strict crackdown on the hoarding of petroleum products amid concerns about fuel supply in the country.
The directive was issued during a high-level meeting on petroleum reserves chaired by the prime minister in Islamabad. Officials from the Ministry of Petroleum informed participants that Pakistan currently has adequate petrol stocks and there is no immediate shortage.
During the briefing, officials reviewed the status of fuel reserves in view of the evolving regional situation and assured the prime minister that supplies are sufficient to meet national demand.
However, PM Shehbaz warned against attempts to create artificial shortages. He instructed provincial administrations to take firm legal action against anyone found hoarding fuel.
The prime minister ordered that petrol pumps involved in hoarding or deliberately causing supply disruptions should be sealed immediately. He further directed that their licences be cancelled and legal proceedings initiated against those responsible.
To ensure better coordination and oversight, the prime minister asked the federal petroleum minister to visit all provinces and work closely with provincial governments to develop a comprehensive plan for conserving petroleum products and maintaining uninterrupted supply across the country.
He also directed authorities to introduce a digital monitoring system to track the transportation and distribution of petroleum products. According to the prime minister, the proposed dashboard would provide real-time data to provincial governments and help monitor fuel movement more effectively.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, along with federal ministers Jam Kamal Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Owais Leghari. Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar Khan, State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad, and chief secretaries from the four provinces, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan were also present.
