President calls for meeting fuel needs of Balochistan’s remote areas

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has asked the relevant quarters to find ways and means to meet the fuel requirements of the remote areas of Balochistan.

The government was focusing on the development of Balochistan and making efforts to address the problems being faced by the people of the province, he said.

The president made these remarks, while chairing a meeting of the chief executive officers of the Oil Marketing Companies at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The meeting was briefed about the impact of smuggled oil to Balochistan. It was informed that the economy of the country was suffering losses worth Rs60 billion annually due to smuggling of oil from the neighbouring countries.

The Pakistan State Oil (PSO) managing director highlighted that his organisation had taken measures to double the supply chains to ensure supply of oil to those districts, which were dependent on smuggled oil in the past.

The meeting emphasised to establish petrol pumps on Makran Coastal Highway to facilitate the people travelling between Gwadar and Karachi.

It was also underlined to set up fuel storage infrastructure in Gilgit, Skardu and Swat to fulfil fuel requirements of the local population, as well as the growing number of tourists visiting these areas.

The participants appreciated the measures taken by the government to discourage the practice of oil smuggling.

Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Petroleum secretary Dr Arshad Mahmood, PSO managing director and Syed Muhammad Taha and heads of the prominent oil companies were present on the occasion.