The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) on Thursday warned that petrol pumps have 50 percent supply left across the country and may shut down starting Monday if supplies are not restored.
The association’s Central Secretary General Chaudhry Irfan Elahi stated that diesel supply had fallen to 20 percent of normal levels, while petrol had also took a big hit.
Lahore President Jehanzaib Malik called on the government to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply to retail outlets. He criticised inspections targeting petrol pumps instead of supply depots and warned that if supply was not restored, pumps would begin closing from Monday.
Central Punjab President Nauman Majeed said petrol supply had been reduced by 50 percent and that some private companies had started hoarding petroleum products.
A day earlier, the All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association wrote to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that supplies had been restricted and retail outlets were unable to meet public demand.
Meanwhile, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) announced that the country can easily manage 28 days’ worth of consumption requirements following pre-emptive surplus imports.
Regardless, several cargoes remain stranded due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the US-Israel attack on Iran. Major exporters including Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Iraq rely on the route for shipments primarily to Asian buyers like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.