Interior Ministry Moves to Shut Down Over 1,300 Illegal Petrol Pumps Across Pakistan

The Ministry of Interior has directed the provincial government to seal 1,310 illegal retail outlets/oil agencies/ petrol pumps across the country.     Sources said that the Ministry of Interior has written a letter to all four provinces regarding digitization of petrol pumps.     The Interior ministry also directed the provincial government to seal 1,310 illegal retail outlets/oil agencies/ petrol pumps across the country. According to report, 749 illegal pumps are operating in Punjab while Sindh has 183, KPK 250 and Balochistan has 128 illegal retail outlets/oil agencies/ petrol pumps.  The ministry has forwarded the summary to provinces on the recommendation of Ministry of Energy (Petroleum division) as government is working on digitization plan of petroleum sector.     Recently, FBR in its transformation plan also proposed different plans regarding digitization of petrol pumps. According to FBR, Pakistan can end the sale of smuggled products at 11,500 OMCs by implementing technological solutions for petrol pumps. This includes Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) and Auto Tank Gauging (ATG) /Forecourt Controller.   Under the Remote Terminal Unit, government’ departments can monitor sales from dispensers’ nozzles for reconciliation by GSM SIM based technology. Under Auto Tank Gauging/Forecourt Controller, departments can also monitor stocks at pumps’ storage tanks as well as sales through nozzles for reconciliation.  Sources in the Petroleum Ministry said that the government is also considering an amendment in Petroleum Act, 1934 for authorizing district administration̶ to confiscate and destroy equipment of petrol pumps lacking valid authorization along with products besides confiscating equipment of authorized petrol pumps involved in sale of smuggled petrol.