ISLAMABAD – Fears of fuel shortages amid Middle East tensions prompted people in Pakistan to start hoarding petrol, with queues being spotted at some fuel stations. The concerns are due to US-Israel war with Iran that disrupted oil supply routes and heightened uncertainty about fuel availability.
Amid concerning developments, PM Shehbaz Sharif chaired emergency high-level meeting to review the country’s petroleum situation, issuing strict orders to provincial authorities to crack down on fuel hoarding and any attempts to create artificial shortages.
According to statement released by PM’s Office, Ministry of Petroleum presented detailed briefing on national petroleum reserves in the context of rapidly changing regional conditions. Officials informed meeting that Pakistan currently has sufficient stocks of petroleum products to meet the country’s immediate needs.
During recent meeting, the premier directed provincial governments to take decisive legal action against individuals or businesses hoarding fuel. He warned that any petrol pump found deliberately creating an artificial shortage should be immediately sealed, its licence cancelled, and legal proceedings initiated against those responsible.
Sharif also directed petroleum minister to visit all provinces and coordinate with provincial administrations to devise a comprehensive strategy aimed at conserving petroleum supplies and ensuring a continuous and stable supply of fuel to the public.
Prime Minister ordered development of a digital dashboard to closely track the movement of petroleum products across the country. The system will allow real-time sharing of data with provincial governments and enable authorities to monitor the transportation and distribution of fuel more effectively.
The meeting was attended by Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Jam Kamal Khan, Ahsan Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervaiz Malik and Awais Leghari. Jameel Ahmad, the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, also attended along with chief secretaries from Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The urgent meeting comes as the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran entered its sixth day, severely disrupting global supply chains and paralysing shipping traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
In response to potential risks, Pakistan has already approached Saudi Arabia to explore the possibility of using an alternative oil supply route through the Red Sea in order to maintain the country’s fuel supply chain.
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