Petrol pumps fleecing people in Jhang

JHANG: The petrol pumps owners are allegedly fleecing the people in Jhang. According to the Ogra’s latest fuel price notification available on its website, prices of petrol and diesel were fixed at Rs 112.17 and Rs 122.9 respectively on March 1. The prices also include the transportation charges. However, in Jhang district, except for two petrol pumps, including one police welfare petrol pump, all others are allegedly selling petrol at Rs 113.8 and diesel Rs 125 per litre. They are allegedly charging extra Rs 2 per liter from the notified prices under the cover of fuel transportation charges. Due to the overcharging by the petrol pumps owners, the transport owners have not reduced fare in the district. Younas Chaudhry, a businessman, told The News that he had heard about the decrease in fuel prices, but he was still being charged extra Rs 2 per liter at different petrol pumps of the city. Oil marketing expert Ali Aftab Sial said that the Ogra had authorised the district administration to monitor the prices at the district level as it (Ogra) had no mechanism to check the same. Haji Muhammad Hussain of Toba Road said that it was a responsibility of the government and Ogra authorities to check and enforce fuel prices at the petrol pumps.

The petrol pump owners/operators claimed that they brought petrol and diesel to their pumps by paying extra transportation charges, which should be paid by the OMCs. When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Tahir Wattoo said that the assistant commissioners of all tehsils had been directed to take action against those petrol pumps, which were involved in overcharging and less measurement.