Petroleum crisis
By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: A report of the commission that was formed to investigate the petroleum crisis in the country was presented to Prime Minister Imran Khan in a federal cabinet meeting held here on Tuesday.
PM Imran chaired a federal cabinet meeting here in Islamabad to discuss 14-point agenda. The investigation report of the petroleum commission also came under discussion.
During the meeting, PM formed a three-member committee to review recommendations of the commissions’ report on the petroleum crisis and hinted at strict action against oil companies involved in the artificial shortage of fuel.
The committee includes Federal Minister For Planning Asad Umar, Education Minister Shafqat Mehmood and Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari.
The committee will prepare proposals about taking action against the responsible persons in light of an inquiry report. Sources said that, PM Imran Khan in the cabinet meeting also hinted at suspending licenses of oil companies involved in the petroleum crisis.
According to sources, several federal ministers in the federal cabinet meeting strongly reacted to the petrol crisis report and demanded immediate action against responsible persons. Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda demanded in the meeting that PM Imran Khan should release orders regarding the suspension of licenses oil companies involved in the artificial fuel crisis. The federal cabinet on July 29 approved a proposal for the constitution of a commission of inquiry to investigate the causes of the shortage of petrol that hit the country in early June.
Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan will chair the session of the federal cabinet to discuss 14-point agenda today. The federal government will deliberate upon publicising the investigation report of the petroleum commission. The agenda of the forthcoming cabinet meeting was extended by the inclusion of three more items. It is expected that the federal cabinet will give approval to make the probe report of the petroleum commission besides taking decisions for the initiation of strict actions against the responsible persons.
Moreover, Attorney General of Pakistan will brief the cabinet members over the legal matters. The appointment of new chairman of the NDMA was also included in the agenda. Some ministers will participate in the meeting through video link due to coronavirus. The cabinet members will mull over the political, economic situation of the country besides reviewing the matters related to COVID-19 pandemic and security issues.
