POL products: PPDA urges OMCs to maintain smooth supply

KARACHI: Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) has urged the authorities and oil marketing companies to ensure the continued and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products across the country, to maintain smooth operations at petrol pumps and avoid any potential shortages in the market.

According to Tariq Hassan, Vice Chairman PPDA, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have suddenly imposed a quota system and reduced the supply of petroleum products, raising fears of a fuel crisis in the country.

He said that, according to government officials, there is currently no shortage of petroleum products in the country, adding that sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are available to meet demand for up to 28 days.

However, despite this, companies have implemented a quota system and are supplying only about 50 percent of petrol and diesel compared to the required quantity.

He added that petrol pumps owners are depositing advance payments for the require quantity of petroleum products, but despite this they are not receiving the required supply. The association’s vice chairman said that the sudden reduction in supply has caused serious concern among petrol pump owners. If the situation persists, many pumps may run out of stock and could be forced to close temporarily.

He warned that if the supply is not restored, long queues of vehicles may form at petrol pumps and public anxiety could increase, potentially creating an artificial shortage.

Hassan noted that this situation has arisen at a time when the government continues to assure that sufficient petroleum stocks are available in the country, but the companies are not providing the required supply.

They further said that in recent days there has been an increase in public purchasing of petrol and diesel. One reason for this is the government’s decision to review petroleum prices weekly instead of fortnightly, which has created an impression among the public that prices may increase in the future.

The association has demanded that the government immediately take notice of the situation and ensure that oil marketing companies provide petrol pumps with the required quantity of petroleum products.

Hassan said that dealers are not demanding any additional supply but are only requesting the same quantity they have been purchasing previously. However, under the current situation, petrol pumps are receiving nearly 50 percent less supply. Petroleum dealers have also appealed to the public to avoid unnecessarily hoarding petrol.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026