Islamabad; September 27, 2017: Standing Committee on Energy has directed Petroleum Division to ensure supply of sufficient quantity of motor gasoline by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMC) in the country to meet the demand. 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. The Committee met under the chairmanship of Ch. Bilal Ahmad Virk, MNA in Islamabad, this afternoon.

While briefing the Committee on the issue of reported shortage of petrol in the country, Secretary, Petroleum Division informed that due to less import of motor gasoline by the Marketing Companies during the month of August and September, 2017 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 built 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.

The meeting was attended by Ch. Abid Sher Ali, Minister of State for Power, Jamal Kamal Khan, Minister of State for Petroleum, MNAs; Malik Ihtebar Khan, Mr. Muhammad Afzal Khokhar, Syed Muhammad Saqlain Shah Bukhari, Mian Tariq Mehmood, Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, Nawab Ali Wassan, Mr. Shehryar Afridi,  Mr. Imran Khattak, Mr. Abdul Waseem, Mr. Sajid Ahmed, Mr. Pir Bux Junejo, Ms. Shahjehan Muneer Mangrio, Secretaries, Petroleum and Power Divisions and Senior Officers of the concerned departments.