PCDMA warns extension for DPL does not resolve core issue

KARACHI: The Pakistan Chemicals & Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA) has welcomed the Ministry of Energy’s decision to extend the deadline for obtaining the Dangerous Petroleum License (DPL) to October 23, 2025; but cautioned that the move offers only limited relief and does not resolve the core regulatory issue threatening industrial stability.

PCDMA Chairman Salim Valimohammad expressed gratitude to Federal Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) Ali Pervaiz Malik, Director General of Explosives Abdul Ali Khan, and Director Muhammad Aftab Qazi for their support and timely intervention. He acknowledged the extension as a positive step, but warned it is technically only a 42-day reprieve from the September 11 issuance date, falling short of the average 60–90-day import cycle required by industry. “The extension provides some breathing space, but the fundamental problem remains unresolved,” said Valimohammad.

He highlighted that numerous raw materials now classified under DPL Class B and C are not petroleum-based, but rather organic industrial compounds essential to sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, plastics, fertilizers, leather, and cosmetics. “These materials do not fall under the Petroleum Act and pose no petroleum-related risk,” he said, adding that misclassification could trigger severe supply chain disruptions, threatening Pakistan’s export competitiveness and foreign exchange earnings.

The PCDMA has urged the Ministry to urgently revisit and revise the scope of DPL regulations to exclude non-petroleum-based raw materials, warning that failure to act could inflict long-term damage on the country’s industrial base and economy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025