ISLAMABAD, May 21: The Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources on Monday took serious notice of the alleged irregularities in transportation and dumping of petroleum products by the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and asked the company to improve its system.

Sources told Dawn that the committee, which met under its Chairman Senator Syed Dilawar Abbas, also castigated the PSO officials for not cooperating with the members of the sub-committee that had been formed to probe the irregularities in the company.

Senator Ismail Buledi of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), who was head of the sub-committee, told the participants that instead of facilitating the sub-committee members the PSO officials during a visit to an oil depot insulted them and did not provide any information to them.

According to an official handout issued by the Senate Secretariat after the meeting, PSO Managing Director Kaleem Siddiqui tendered an “unconditional apology” over the “callous attitude” of the PSO officials with the committee members.

The sources said the committee members expressed their concern over the failure of the PSO to hold a proper inquiry into the alleged dumping of petroleum products despite clear directives of the committee.

The committee members were of the view that dumping of petroleum products by the PSO distributors or agents could only be done in connivance with oil companies. They asked the PSO to take internal dumping control measures to check the illegal practice to save the national exchequer from the loss of billions of rupees.

The senators said the issue of the dumping of petroleum products was very serious and several committees and even the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) were investigating into the matter, but the illegal practice was still continuing.

The committee directed the PSO to get their account audited by some reputable firm and submit the report to the committee at the earliest.

Earlier, the committee members reviewed the progress of the Iran-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline (IPI) project and called upon the government to pursue the project vigorously.

Besides, chairman of the committee the meeting was attended by senators Haroon Khan, Dr Ismail Buledi, Sarwar Khan Kakar, Saeed Ahmed Hashmi and Mohammad Talha Mahmood. Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Mir Naseer Mengal and senior officials of the ministry were also present.