ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting Tuesday during which he reviewed the petroleum situation in the country, and issued directives for structural changes in order to ensure that the current petroleum crisis situation does not arise again.

The two-member committee tasked to inquire into this matter presented their initial findings to PM Nawaz, informing him that the petrol shortage was a serious failure on the part of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) as a regulator.

The meeting endorsed the earlier decision of suspending four senior officials responsible for the crisis and decided that Deputy Managing Director of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) Mr Sohail Butt was also equally responsible and ordered his suspension as well.

Know more: Petrol crisis deepens, spills over to Karachi

At a press conference yesterday, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had absolved himself of any direct or indirect responsibility for the petrol shortage and termed it “a conspiracy against the government”.

Take a look: Amid mounting criticism, petroleum minister apologises for fuel crisis

Meanwhile, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had accepted responsibility for the crisis in a separate press conference yesterday and said he was ashamed on behalf of the government that the crisis had been allowed to continue.

Also read: Fuel crisis to last at least another week