A report to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) alleges that 29 lawmakers are involved in smuggling Iranian fuel to Pakistan.
The report says that terrorists fund themselves through petrol smuggling. The research incriminated politicians and government officials for smuggling 2.8 billion liters of Iranian petrol to Pakistan annually.
It claimed that Pakistan loses Rs. 60 billion annually to petrol smuggling. The report added,
A total of 995 petrol pumps across the country are involved in the illegal sale of Iranian petrol. Around 90 government officials and 29 politicians are involved in smuggling of petrol.
The report also alleged that the smuggled fuel is transported in Pakistan State Oil’s (PSO) vehicles. So far, PMO is silent regarding the issue, which will likely incriminate a large number of big politicians across Pakistan.
A recent media report also highlighted that certain individuals have established illegal petrol distribution operations, frequently selling Iranian gasoline in plastic containers. This illicit trade not only poses serious threats to public safety but also undermines legitimate businesses
The report also highlighted that instead of taking action against the illegal trade, the police officers began purchasing gasoline from the individuals involved. The issue has been highlighted a few times in the past few days, with no concrete response from the government.