Tariq Saeed
Peshawar
Federal Minister for Petroleum Omar Ayub Thursday said the Petrol crisis would be overcome in three days period as the Peshawar High Court ordered Federal Government to ensure smooth supply of the essential commodity at the earliest.
“Certain elements engineered artificial shortage of the fuel across the country, yet the government is determined to overcome the petrol crisis within the next three days and strict action will be initiated against the hoarders”. The federal minister for petroleum told media persons outside the Peshawar high court after appearing before the Court in a case related to petrol shortage.
Omar Ayub informed that raids were conducted on several pints and petrol reserves were recovered as cases have already been registered against the culprits.
“We have initiated action against those stocking petroleum reserves which led to an artificial shortage and this is the first time that action is being taken against this mafia”. Omar Ayub Khan told journalists. PM Imran khan, Minister said, himself took serious of the artificial and had ordered action against those responsible for petrol shortage
The Federal Minister for Petroleum accused mafia of not letting the people take relief from the subsidized petroleum prices. He said the petrol demand has surged by 30%. “Mafia is creating problems to restrain people from getting benefit from the reduced fuel prices”. He lamented.
Earlier, Peshawar High Court (PHC) has ordered the federal government to ensure smooth supply of petrol at filling stations across d Pakistan as soon as possible.
The court conducted hearing on a notice pertaining to petrol and wheat crisis in the country.
Omar Ayub also presented before the High Court, where Justice Qaiser Rashid asked about the government measures to mitigate the crisis. The learned judge observed that the petrol pumps were not taking care of the SOPs and ‘useless’ meetings were being held to discuss the situation.
The PHC judge said that earlier people faced wheat crisis and now petrol shortage adding the federal minister was summoned so that the public can be given quick relief regarding the situation. The minister told the court that the petrol companies have constituted a ‘mafia’ and creating the shortage.
However, the court directed the federal minister to control the situation as early as possible to which the minister assured overcoming the crisis in three days.
