Smuggled fuel

Diesel smuggling from Iran is quite common in Pakistan. It can only be imagined how much the country is losing in sales tax, levies and custom duties every year because of this practice. The availability of cheap smuggled fuel also hurts Pakistan’s oil sellers and refineries. This smuggled diesel, however, is of low quality and contains a high percentage of sulphur and other additives. When it is smuggled into Pakistan, it pollutes the underground tanks of the fuel pumps when it mixes with better quality local fuel.

The dealers are attracted by the low-priced fuel so they prefer to buy it and do not buy from local refineries. Smuggled fuel has even forced a major OMC to shut down many of its petrol pumps in Balochistan where this low-quality fuel is commonly available. The government should pay urgent attention to this issue.

Muhammad Rohail Hassan

Karachi