OGRA to resolve oil tankers association's problems amicably

ISLAMABAD: Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) would play its due role in resolving problems being faced by owners of the Oil Tankers Association in an amicable way.

"The authority is ready to revisit its Rules 2009 and resolve problems of the association by holding a meeting with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) at the earliest," OGRA spokesman Imran Ghaznavi said while addressing a brief news conference after a meeting with representatives of the association here at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources.

He said the tankers association did not lodge even a single complaint against OGRA Rules-2009 since their introduction. But, now when the authority deployed third party inspectors to check fitness of oil tankers to avoid untoward incidents like Ahmedpur Sharqia tragedy, the association started making hue and cry, which is not justified, he regretted.

As a matter of fact, the spokesman said, OMCs have got licences from the OGRA, not the oil tankers, adding that permits and fitness certificates to oil lorries were issued by other departments concerned.

Oil Marketing Companies hire services of contract carriages for transportation of petroleum products. The companies are duty-bound to ensure that oil lorries must be in compliance with the safety rules introduced by the OGRA.

"Mainly, oil tankers association is demanding increase in their freight charges from OMCs. It seems that OMCs are behind the whole prevailing situation as they are instigating the association to go on strike instead of increasing their transportation fare."

The spokesman said that the authority would expose such OMCs and take appropriate action against them.

Ghaznavi hoped that oil tankers would comply with all the safety rules without putting public property and lives at risk, adding that the association would not take any irresponsible step and "sanctity should prevail."

Earlier, representatives of Oil Tanker Owners Association threatened to go on strike if their demands, mainly increase in freight charges, are not met.