PHC orders federal govt to resolve petrol crisis in three days

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday directed Federal Minister for Energy, Umar Ayub Khan, to resolve the ongoing petrol crisis within three days and present it a report at the next hearing of the case.

The federal minister, secretary petroleum, additional advocate general Syed Sikandar Hayat and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) representative appeared before the two-member PHC bench in the case pertaining to the petroleum shortage crisis. Justice Qaiser Rasheed in his remarks said that the people were suffering due to non-availability of petrol at fuel stations while the government was holding fruitless meetings in this regard.

On the one hand, the coronavirus is a serious threat to the general public while on the other, the wheat flour and sugar crisis, and now the petrol shortage, had doubled the ordeals of the people, the honourable judge observed. He added that the government had failed to take serious action against the hoarders and mafia responsible for these artificial shortages and crises of the essential commodities in the country.

Justice Qaiser Rasheed took the NAB to task by observing that its performance was zero as it was taking action only against “patwaris” and other low-level officials but was reluctant to move against the mafias and profiteers.

Umar Ayub Khan, the federal minister, told the court that petrol was available in abundance as there was a stock for the next 10 days but some mafias had created the artificial shortage. The minister assured the court that the petrol shortage issue would be resolved within three days and action taken against those who were found responsible for it.

The court adjourned the hearing till June 17 after asking the Petroleum Ministry to present a report to the bench on the next hearing. Meanwhile, Umar Ayub Khan told the media at the Peshawar High Court premises that the government had taken practical steps against those who had created petrol shortage crisis in the country and also raided some of the oil depots and stocks and registered first information reports against them. He said the government had reduced the prices of petroleum products to benefit the people but the mafia and hoarders created an artificial shortage of petrol to take advantage of the situation. The federal minister said the Energy Ministry had raided several depots and petrol pumps in Nowshera, Taro Jabba and Lahore and seized a huge stock of petrol.