ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Tuesday dismissed reports of a fuel shortage in the country, confirming that the supply of petroleum products remains normal nationwide.
In a statement, an Ogra spokesperson said that while there had been a brief delay in the clearance of imported petroleum consignments a few days ago, the situation has now returned to normal.
The spokesperson added that two vessels carrying petrol and diesel from two different companies were cleared today, further stabilising supply across the country.
The clarification came amid industry concerns that the Sindh government’s decision to reinstate a 100% bank guarantee under the Sindh Infrastructure Development Cess (IDC) had left multiple petroleum cargoes stranded at Karachi ports, raising fears of a possible nationwide shortage.
The oil industry has warned that the move could disrupt the country’s fuel supply chain within days if the issue is not resolved promptly, The News reported on Tuesday.
In a letter to the Sindh chief minister and federal authorities, the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) said at least five major shipments — carrying petrol and diesel for PSO, HPL, PGL, and Parco — are awaiting customs clearance.
With petrol stocks at Keamari rapidly depleting, the industry cautioned that the situation could lead to severe nationwide shortages, particularly during the ongoing agricultural season, if immediate steps are not taken.
“The oil supply chain is on the brink of collapse. Recovery could take over two weeks if cargoes are not cleared now,” the OCAC added. The dispute centred on the 1.8% IDC levied by the Sindh and Balochistan governments on POL imports. While the Supreme Court is still hearing the case, the Sindh Excise Department has abruptly withdrawn an interim arrangement, previously allowing undertakings instead of bank guarantees, and is now demanding billions of rupees in guarantees per vessel, a financial burden the industry says it simply cannot bear.
With regulated pricing, tight credit lines and razor-thin margins, the OCAC estimates that IDC adds over Rs3 per litre to the cost of fuel, a burden that cannot be passed on to consumers under current pricing mechanisms.
The council is urging the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and Pakistan Customs to immediately clear all petroleum cargoes without bank guarantees, and is calling for a policy-level resolution, including i) formal recognition that petroleum pricing is a federal subject; ii) inclusion of IDC in fuel pricing mechanisms and iii) a framework to recover past IDC dues.
The OCAC also pointed out that Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have already exempted POL products from IDC, aligning with federal jurisdiction over petroleum pricing.
Unless swift action is taken, Pakistan could face fuel station dry-outs, disrupted transport and logistics, and serious delays in the agricultural sector, potentially triggering broader economic consequences, the council added. –Agencies
