Senator Rehman Malik chairs Senate Standing Committee on Interior meeting

Islamabad: The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior was held today in Parliament House Islamabad and was chaired by Senator Rehman Malik.

The committee was given a detailed briefing by the Secretary Petroleum and Addl. Director General, FIA on the artificial shortage of oil with reference to the failure of the concerned departments to control corruption and hoarding by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) which had caused inconvenience and unrest all over the Country.

It was briefed to the Committee that the artificial shortage was created by oil importers and FIA has detected top 12 oil importers who were directly involved to create artificial shortage and made illegal money in connivance with some functionaries. It was a sudden kick up of millions of dollars where some foreigner based in Dubai, UK, Malta have been found involved in it.

The diesel is imported illegally from Iran by using forged documents from Alhamriya Dubai. The refinery, its owner and partners are found involved. The committee was told that the artificial shortage and stockpiling of petroleum products was a major problem which caused a loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.

In addition a detailed briefing was given by the Secretary Petroleum as to how they describe the shortage into wet and dry mechanisms. The companies ensured to make the petrol stations dry from Karachi to Khyber and only make them wet after the rise of price of oil through hidden hoarding and ships from the high sea.

The owners have their networks in Dubai and UK and there are some highly influential smugglers which have been pointed out. An in-camera meeting will take place next week where FIA will explain about every importer and mechanics they use for this artificial shortage and the benefit drawn out of it.

All the information in the form of a consolidated report has been handed over by the Secretary Petroleum to the Committee and the information was circulated to all the members of Committee. A sub-Committee will be constituted to look into the details and all those officials who were involved in the crime in connivance with the oil importers will be taken to task. Some points have been identified in Dubai, UK, Singapore, Malta where the money has been illegally transferred which will be dealt under the money laundering laws and fraud.

The public will be surprised to know the names of those people who are directly involved in this mega scandal. The Chairman Committee had given an indication that after submission of final report by FIA and Ministry of Petroleum, the Committee will invite the Prime Minister of Pakistan in the meeting of the Committee to see the bungling by those who will be identified for action against them.

The Chairman Committee appreciated the Additional Director General FIA and Secretary Petroleum for the briefing and excellent work done by them in the national interest. The Chairman OGRA was served with a detailed questionnaire and was directed to come up with a comprehensive plan to stop the shortage of oil in future so that the public should not be swindled by few oil mafias.

The names and pictures with their full details shall be released however in the meantime no harassment shall be done and only those will be taken to task who found directly involved.