PM ordered investigation of petrol shortage
19 January, 2015
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday 18.January,2015 ordered an investigation into the ongoing critical shortage of petrol in the country.
The PM has ordered an inquiry that will probe the role of the Ministry of Petroleum, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Finance and Water and Power Ministries, as well as oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the acute fuel shortage. A high-level meeting is to be held under Prime Minister Nawaz today (Monday) to take important decisions to mitigate the petrol crisis and also to fix responsibility for the prevalent fuel shortage situation in most parts of the country.
In this regard, premier has summoned an important meeting on fuel management focusing on provision of immediate relief to the people with concerned ministers, top mandarins here in the federal capital. In a statement issued on Sunday 18.January,2015 by the PM House, the premier, who has taken serious notice of the fuel shortage, is expected to take important decisions in the meetings. He is also expected to focus on trying to bridge the supply-demand gap. According to the statement, the prime minister unequivocally said that the public should not suffer and that every measure would be taken to provide relief on an immediate basis.
During the meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at Jati Umra in Lahore on Sunday, PM Nawaz said that if even any minister was found involved in the prevailing petrol crisis in Punjab, action would be taken against him. He, however, assured the chief minister of complete inquiry into the crisis and action against the persons found responsible for petrol shortage in the province. Nawaz Sharif on Saturday took serious notice of petrol shortage as soon as he landed at the Lahore airport from abroad and suspended only four top petroleum officials for failing to deal with the crisis.
Most parts of the country, including Punjab and the federal capital have been witnessing acute petrol shortage amidst chilling weather. Frustrated citizens spent Sunday queuing up at the handful of petrol pumps open in the rural and urban areas of the crisis-hit areas cities, with some saying they had been there overnight without any respite. Even the consumers of compressed natural gas (CNG) in Lahore faced trouble getting CNG for their vehicles.
Most of the CNG filling stations at provincial capital of Punjab remained closed, adding miseries to the masses already facing closure of the CNG for a long time. Complaints of low pressure at the stations have also been reported. A large numbers of filling stations remained shut for the seventh day on Sunday 18.January,2015.
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