ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday ordered authorities to take strict action against fuel hoarders and shut down petrol pumps involved in any attempt to create artificial shortages, as anxiety grows over potential supply disruptions from the widening conflict involving Iran.
Sharif issued the directive during a high-level meeting on petroleum supplies, where officials briefed him that Pakistan currently holds sufficient fuel reserves to meet domestic demand despite the volatile regional situation.
The move comes as Pakistan steps up contingency measures following fears of supply disruptions linked to the escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The concerns stem partly from disruptions in tanker traffic after the Strait of Hormuz — a key global oil chokepoint between Iran and Oman through which much of Pakistan’s imported crude typically transits — was shut following rising hostilities in the Gulf.
“The prime minister directed provincial governments to take strict legal action against hoarders of petroleum products,” Sharif’s office said in a statement after the meeting.
“Any petrol pump involved in the reprehensible practice of creating artificial shortages should be immediately shut down, its license revoked and legal action initiated,” it added.
Earlier this week, Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) allowed oil marketing companies to temporarily regulate supplies to retail outlets to discourage hoarding and maintain stability in fuel distribution.
Sharif instructed the petroleum minister to visit provinces and coordinate with their administrations to develop a strategy for conserving petroleum products and ensuring their uninterrupted supply to the public.
The prime minister further ordered the creation of a digital dashboard to monitor the movement of petroleum products and share real-time data with provincial authorities to improve oversight of fuel transportation and distribution.
