August 22, 2003	Friday	Jumadi-us-Sani 23, 1424

KARACHI, Aug 21: The All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association has threatened to call a countrywide strike from Friday if their demands are not met by the Pakistan State Oil.

The association went out on strike on Thursday morning and suspended the oil supply from the Keamari oil terminal following a dispute with the oil company over out-of-turn filling of a tanker lorry.

The vice-president of the APOTOA, Haji Faiz, told Dawn that load distribution at the terminal was conducted on a first-come-first-served basis. He alleged that this principle was being violated by some officials of the PSO.

“We caught some officials of the PSO following this unfair practice. But the oil company lodged an FIR against us,” he said.

However, a spokesman for the PSO disputed the association’s claims about out-of-turn load distribution. He added that the PSO had thoroughly investigated the allegations and found them to be false.

He said that the local police authorities had also conducted an investigation in the presence of APOTOA leaders into the charge and confirmed that the PSO had not deviated from the standard practice.

The spokesman said the association was demanding that transfer of High Speed Diesel from Karachi to Shershah, Multan, through the Pakistan Railways be stopped.

Some 20-22 special carriers transported the product every month, a process that could not be discontinued in the national interest, he said.

On APOTOA’s demand for re-enlistment of tank lorries that had been delisted by the PSO on account of malpractice/theft and adulteration of product, the spokesman said it was not possible because of strict quality control measures adopted by the oil company.

He alleged that two tank lorry owners had manhandled PSO employees without any provocation at the Keamari oil terminal C on Aug 18.

After this incident the APOTOA had stopped the load distribution system and had since then been on illegal strike, he said.

An FIR had been lodged with the Jackson police and the Keamari town police officer had been requested to provide protection to PSO terminals and staff, the spokesman said.

He added that fuel supplies throughout the country were normal and there was no shortage of the petroleum product.

Spelling out APOTOA demands, Mr Faiz said the association wanted to lodge an FIR against those PSO officials who had allowed out-of-turn load distribution at the Keamari oil terminal.

He added that the association wanted that the agreements concluded by the association and the oil company following a high-level meeting three months back be implemented.

He demanded that the oil tankers which had been banned by the oil company on grounds of malpractice be recommissioned.

He said the association was ready for talks but the oil company had suspended negotiations.

Keamari Town Police Officer Athar Rasheed Butt told Dawn that trouble had started with the manhandling of some PSO officials by the association’s people.

He said the APOTOA demands were such that the PSO could not meet them.

The TPO said that on Wednesday he had called both sides to his office and tried to resolve the dispute but the three-hour-long meeting had failed to be conclusive.