NA Body directs Petroleum Division to ensure sufficient supply

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on Energy has directed the Petroleum Division to ensure sufficient supply of motor gasoline by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) in the country to meet the demand.

A meeting of the NA Standing Committee on Energy was held on Wednesday with MNA Chaudhry Bilal Ahmad Virk in chair.

The committee also asked Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to take up the issue of induction of oil tankers compliant with the technical standards with OMCs besides taking necessary steps for laying underground pipelines for oil transportation.

While briefing the committee on the issue of reported shortage of petrol in the country, Petroleum Division secretary informed that due to less import of motor gasoline by the marketing companies during the month of August and September, shortage was reported in Lahore region which was mitigated on war footing basis. He further informed that in order to meet the enhanced demand of motor gasoline and to build up healthy stocks of the product, OMCs have been directed to import additional volumes in October, 2017, otherwise punitive action would be taken against them.

The committee directed the OGRA and Petroleum Division to keep a vigilant eye on imports of OMCs and ensuring their storage capacity against their quota. One of the members pointed out illegal sale of smuggled petrol in the country. The committee decided to invite representatives of Pakistan Customs, FIA and heads of provincial police departments to discuss the sale of smuggled petrol in the country.

The committee unanimously approved the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (Amendment) Bill, 2017 without amendments. The committee deferred discussion on the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2017 for its next meeting.