Petrol pump owners, dealers decry local administration’s ‘illegal’ actions

PESHAWAR: Petrol pump owners and dealers expressed grave concern over illegal actions of local administration and asked to stop practice immediately otherwise they will initiate protest movement.

The issue was taken up by Sarhad Petroleum and Cartage Dealers Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (SP&CDA-KP) Chairman Abdul Majid Khan and the Patron-in Chief of the association and former president SCCI Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervez during a meeting with Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fuad Ishaq held at the Chamber House, said in a press release here on Sunday.

The delegation included SP&CDAKP General Secretary Gul Nawaz Khan, Khalid Khan, Mohammad Izhar Khan Afridi, Saifullah, Faisal Irfan and others.

Senior office-bearers of the association apprised meeting about reservations of owners pumps owners and dealers’ regarding open sale of the smuggled Iranian oil and diesel at dabba stations, harassment by local administration through various means during checking of the petrol measurement and enforcement of policies, delay in issuance of “Form K”, despite granting No-objection certificate (NoC) to petrol pumps.

The association demanded the government and authorities concerned to take immediate action against the dabba stations.

Ijaz Khan Afridi, Vice President and Sajjad Aziz, General Secretary of the chamber were also present on this occasion. Fuad Ishaq on the occasion assured the chamber will continue its efforts to resolve all the above-mentioned problems by taking up with the federal and provincial governments and related institutions and authorities in an effective manner.

The SCCI chief stressed the need for correction and re-direction of policies, besides tariffs/duties should be reviewed that will help to prevent the menace of smuggling.

He urged the government to take proactive steps to address the problems of the business community at all levels and to create a favorable environment for promoting businesses/investment and to avoid such measures that are detrimental to economic development, stability of the country, and create hindrance in improvement of businesses and industries.

There is an urgent need to find a solution to all the problems through a coordinated dialogue between the government, administration and the business community, Ishaq asserted.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023