South Waziristan: Feb 18. Pump Dealers Association announced a protest on February 19 against smuggling of Iranian petroleum and illegal depot stations in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lucky Marwat, Bannu and Kohat.
South Waziristan: Feb 18. Pump Dealers Association announced a protest on February 19 against smuggling of Iranian petroleum and illegal depot stations in Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Lucky Marwat, Bannu and Kohat.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, petroleum dealers are facing severe problems due to the abundance of illegal filling stations, while the national exchequer is suffering a loss of crores of rupees. According to Deputy President of Petroleum Dealers Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Haji Jan Alam Mehsud and Deputy Secretary Information Ikram Khan Marwat, the sale of illegally smuggled Iranian oil is on the rise in the entire province including Dera Ismail Khan Division, which is not only affecting the sales of legitimate petrol pump owners but also harming the country’s economy.
He said that the High Court had issued clear orders that the district administration should take action against the illegal box stations, confiscate the goods and close these stations, but despite this, the business is going on rampant due to the laziness and negligence of the authorities concerned. The situation has become so serious that senior officers of the district administration, including the Deputy Commissioner and the District Police Officer, have appeared in a contempt of court case in the Peshawar High Court Dera Ismail Khan Bench.
The union leaders said that smuggled Iranian oil is brought in without any legal approval, which not only closes the legal petrol pumps but also causes serious damage to the national exchequer. Similarly, using LPG cylinders as fuel in vehicles is a clear violation of OGRA rules, which is increasing the number of accidents and losing precious lives, but the district administration remains a silent spectator.
Representatives of the Petroleum Dealers Association visited the offices of the concerned bodies several times, but no action was taken. For this criminal negligence and to protect their legitimate rights, the Petroleum Dealers Association has decided to hold a peaceful protest on February 19 at Dera Ismail Khan GPO Chowk.
He called upon the government and the Supreme Judiciary to take immediate action against illegal petrol stations and the sale of smuggled oil, so as to protect the country’s economy from damage and provide justice to legitimate petrol pump owners.
