KARACHI: The Senior Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA), Malik Khuda Bakhsh, has alleged that oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the country are failing to supply petroleum products to petrol pumps in line with their orders, despite clear directives from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).
In a statement issued on Monday, Bakhsh attributed the disruption to the prevailing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly the Iran-Israel conflict, claiming that certain OMCs are deliberately limiting supplies in anticipation of potential price hikes. “The oil marketing companies are not delivering petroleum products to dealers as per their committed orders.”
He said OGRA has already instructed these companies to maintain a minimum 20-day stock as per the conditions of their operating licenses, and currently there is no shortage of petroleum products in the country.“
‘Enough POL stock present in country’
He said Karachi alone consumes 2,500 metric tons of petrol daily, and oil marketing companies presently have sufficient reserves to meet this demand for more than 20 days. He revealed that while most fuel stations continue to receive regular supplies, a few pumps operated by a particular company have run dry because the company failed to fulfil orders to its dealers.
He urged the government and regulatory authorities to take immediate notice of this situation, warning that any artificial shortage created by curtailing supplies would harm consumers and place undue pressure on the government. “The government must act to prevent oil marketing companies from exploiting the situation for commercial gain. If a shortage is engineered, it will cause public hardship and damage the government’s credibility.”
Malik Khuda Bakhsh reassured the public that there are currently no actual supply constraints in the market and stressed that OGRA’s monitoring mechanisms must be enforced to ensure uninterrupted fuel availability nationwide.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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