Rawalpindi
Authorities have completely failed to control profiteers who are selling kerosene oil at Rs115/litre against government fixed price of Rs44, thus earning more than 100% profit on the poor man’s fuel for years.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in a news conference has claimed that 1-litre kerosene oil will sell at Rs44 but retailers and dealers have thrown these orders to winds and continue to fleece the people.
Kerosene oil is used mostly in rural areas where there is no natural gas. Retailers have been looting the public for years. 'The News' has learnt that there were more than 2,200 private oil agencies in Rawalpindi city and cantonment boards localities. Oil agencies are functioning even in residential localities.
The private oil agencies are looting public here at Defence Road, Gorakh Pur, Dhoke Ratta, Adiala Road, Tahli Mohri, Bakramandi, Dhoke Syedan, Lalkurti, Dhoke Banaras, Chungi No22, Adra, Tench Bhatta,, Mughalabad, Mehrabad, Tehmasap Abad, Pirwadhai, Ganjmandi, Dhoke Mangtal, Kohati Bazaar, Kashmiri Bazaar, Asghar Mall, Eidgah Road, Jamia Masjid Road, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Morgah, Tipu Road, Muhallah Naik Alam, Railway Road, Range Road, Chur, Allahabad, Misriyal Road, Jhanda Chichi, Garibabad, Mohanpura, Chamanzar and several other localities where kerosene oil is being sold at Rs115 per litre.
Similarly, in rural areas of Rawat, Kallar Syedan, Chak Beli Khan, Raqqa, Mughal, Niazia, Humak, Sihala, Dhok Awan, Gora Syedan, Java and several other localities kerosene oil selling at Rs115 per litre.
Assistant Commissioner (Rawalpindi Circle) Tasneem Ali Khan said that they have registered 12 FIRs against retailers selling kerosene oil at higher prices. “We are fully trying to provide maximum relief to public in every matter. Our crackdown against kerosene oil sellers is on”, he declared.
Shehzad Khan a retailer of kerosene oil said that government should monitor big dealers. Niaz Ahmed a resident of Pirwdahi said that there was no government writ. After government announcement, I was hoping to buy kerosene oil at lower prices but situation is the same, he claimed. "Kerosene oil is mainly used as fuel for domestic cooking but profiteers are looting us with both hands," he denounced. He also said that there was no control of city district government here in Rawalpindi in any matter and they have left us in the lurch.