He came. He chatted. He fled. 

Minister of state evades vital oil and gas shortages debate

The demeanour of Jam Kamal khan, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, during an energy security debate in the National Assembly left much to be desired. The PPP, in an unfriendly opposition mode, raised pertinent questions regarding the oil shortage in the country. PIA flights were already being affected. The matter of gas scarcity, which has already started pinching consumers, was also aired. Of utmost urgency was the threat posed by a reported dip in national oil reserves below the 20-days mandatory limit, a disturbing development considering the tinderbox border situation. Instead of participating in the debate and allaying the genuine fears, the minister took refuge in a quick getaway considering it a better of valour. After failure, comes flight.

The government’s image and parliament’s reputation suffers adversely from such an irresponsible and dismissive conduct. Now it emerges that the reported dearth is real, of petrol by about 257,000 and diesel by 315,000 metric tonnes. Various evasions and explanations are being bruited about, there is talk of port and pipeline congestion, non-payment somewhere within the intricate circular debt, tankers waiting off the coast for lack of berths, high local demand, and lack of strategic storage capacity. The usual suspects, actually masking mismanagement, incompetence, absence of political will and a poverty of sound policies. Regarding storage, fifty one applications from six oil companies wishing to build storage depots are reportedly pending with the Ministry of Petroleum instead of being swiftly processed.

People in Islamabad and major cities of the Punjab still remember the mayhem at petrol stations during the fuel shortage of January 2015. At the time the Oil and Gas Regulation Authority bore the brunt of the blame. The then federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi apologised to the people and volunteered to resign. He still remains at his post. Who will be the scapegoat if the worst is repeated in the not too distant future? Clearly, we have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing.