OMAP seeks clarity on OCAC’s role in petroleum sector

LAHORE: The Oil Marketing Association of Pakistan (OMAP) has expressed serious concerns over what it describes as the “illegitimate and exclusionary conduct” of the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC), calling on the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to investigate the body’s role and limit its influence within the country’s petroleum regulatory framework.

In a letter addressed to the Ogra chairperson, OMAP Chairperson Tariq Wazir Ali alleged that the OCAC, despite lacking formal legal status, continues to exert undue influence in regulatory matters and sectoral coordination, to the disadvantage of licensed stakeholders. He said that the OCAC is neither registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) nor licensed by the Directorate General of Trade Organisations (DGTO), Ministry of Commerce, and therefore holds no statutory recognition as a representative trade body.

OMAP, which is a DGTO-licensed organisation representing oil marketing companies across Pakistan, expressed concern over Ogra’s continued engagement with the OCAC. The association argued that this practice undermines institutional integrity and marginalises legitimately recognised stakeholders. It further accused the OCAC of exclusionary conduct, claiming that its members have routinely been denied access to key industry meetings held under the auspices of Ogra and the Ministry of Energy. These meetings, it said, concern regulatory matters and should not be monopolised by an unregistered forum.

The association also criticised the OCAC’s control over data and coordination mechanisms such as the Product Review Meeting (PRM), asserting that access is often restricted to non-OCAC members.

According to OMAP, this contradicts the principles of transparency and fairness, and fosters an artificial monopoly in petroleum sector coordination. It claimed that the OCAC has misrepresented its authority and is acting as an unwarranted gatekeeper between refineries and oil marketing companies, a role that it views as both unjustified and detrimental.

OMAP warned that the OCAC’s unilateral actions are contributing to divisions within the petroleum sector at a time when cooperation and transparency are essential for ensuring energy stability. It stated that continued interventions by OCAC have led to discord among market participants, further complicating efforts to improve sectoral coordination. The OCAC’s version is not immediately available.

Calling for corrective measures, OMAP urged Ogra to retract all unauthorised communications issued by the OCAC and sought a public clarification on the council’s representational status. It requested that Ogra conduct a transparent investigation into the OCAC’s role and legal standing, and ensure equitable access to data and decision-making platforms for all licensed stakeholders. The association also reserved the right to pursue legal and administrative remedies if its concerns remain unaddressed.

OMAP concluded by calling on Ogra to uphold its regulatory responsibilities and engage only with legally constituted and recognised entities. Ogra has not yet issued a response to the concerns raised by OMAP.