ISLAMABAD: A committee tasked to probe the prevailing petrol shortage on Tuesday said the situation was a serious failure on the part of OGRA (Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority) as a regulator, Geo.tv reported.
The committee presented its initial findings to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a meeting held here under his chairmanship to review the petroleum situation in the country.
The premier ordered structural changes to ensure that such a situation never arises again.
The meeting endorsed the earlier decision of suspenwding four senior officials responsible for the crisis.
The meeting also decided that Deputy Managing Director Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Sohail Butt was also equally responsible and ordered for his suspension as well.
Meanwhile, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that he was never satisfied with the performance of OGRA and the authority’s performance as a regulator was not just dismal for petrol but was also same for gas.
The petrol crisis has entered its eight day in Punjab as commuters continue their search for fuel. Long queues are seen at stations which are open with people complaining of waiting for several hours for just a liter of petrol.
The All Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association said that 5.7m liters of petrol has been disbursed to fuel stations across Punjab during the last three days and another 1.8m liters will be dispersed by tonight.
However, according to the Petroleum Dealers Association, the state of affairs is improving and the chaos at stations was only due to mismanagement of the pumps and had nothing to do with the supply.
OGRA ‘responsible’ for Pakistan fuel crisis
OGRA ‘responsible’ for Pakistan fuel crisis
Russia says two crew members from US-seized tanker released
- “Two Russian sailors have been released and are on their way home to Russia,” Zakharova said
- Russia announced earlier this month that the US had decided to release the Russian duo
MOSCOW: Moscow said Wednesday two Russian crew members of a tanker seized this month by the United States in the Atlantic had been released and were on their way home.
US authorities took over the Russian-flagged vessel earlier this month, alleging it was part of a shadow fleet carrying oil from countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions.
The United States said publicly that the Marinera’s crew could be prosecuted. Russia said that would be “categorically unacceptable” and accused Washington of stoking tensions and threatening international shipping.
“Two Russian sailors have been released and are on their way home to Russia,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency on Wednesday.
Russia announced earlier this month that the United States had decided to release the two Russian crew members, but last week its Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the decision had not yet been implemented.
The captain and the first officer of the tanker have left UK waters, Solicitor General for Scotland, Ruth Charteris told a court hearing Tuesday, Press Association news agency reported.
“The captain and the first officer are now aboard the US Coast Guard vessel Munro and have departed the United Kingdom’s territorial sea,” Charteris said.
Twenty-six of the 28 crew have left the ship, officials told AFP. They were processed at a military site in Inverness, Scotland, the court was told, according to Press Association.
Five wanted to travel to the United States and 21 elsewhere. None have claimed asylum, the court heard.
“At the request of the US authorities, crew members have been allowed to disembark for onwards travel,” a UK government spokesperson told AFP Wednesday.
“They will be processed in line with all appropriate immigration and legal requirements.”
Britain was not involved in the movement of the other two crew members, the government said.
The United States seized the tanker, previously known as Bella 1, which was being escorted by the Russian navy, after chasing it from near the Venezuelan coast.
It was re-flagged and re-named to bring it under Russian jurisdiction in a bid to discourage the United States from trying to take it as part of its campaign against Venezuela.
