ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved to file criminal cases against elements involved in causing a petrol crisis last year.
According to sources, the cabinet’s committee probing the matter on Saturday directed to set up a monitoring cell in the Petroleum Division.
It further suggested the government stopped relying on the data from the advisory committee and advised it to establish a new testing lab.
The committee ordered action against officials who had issued temporary licenses to oil marketing companies. Sources said action will also be taken against illegal joint ventures and the setting up of illegal private storages.
The law will also come into effect against people involved in delayed berthing of oil ships. The officials from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), Petroleum Division, and people from the oil marketing companies would be named in the cases.
On March 26, Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Nadeem Babar to resign from his post to ensure the transparent investigation into the fuel crisis.
Earlier, the federal cabinet had approved the formation of a commission to investigate the petrol crisis in the country.
Prime Minister Imran Khan presided the federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad vowed to take action against the responsible for the petrol crisis in the country.
PM’s special assistant on mineral resources, Shahzad Qasim had been appointed as the chairman of the committee which also includes Director General of Directorate General Oil, chief executive officer (CEO) of Petroleum Institute of Pakistan and former senior general manager (GM) of Pakistan State Oil (PSO).
It is worth mentioning here, an artificial fuel crisis was created in the country soon after the government reduced petrol prices in June 2020. An inquiry report into the country’s petrol crisis accused nine Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) of the ongoing crisis.
