PESHAWAR: The business community has expressed serious concern over the sale of smuggled petroleum products in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and demanded action against the owners of the ‘illegal’ pumps.

The grievances were aired during a meeting between Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fuad Ishaq and members of Sarhad Petroleum and Cartage Dealers Association here on Friday.

Mr Ishaq urged the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to strictly ban sale of the smuggled Iranian petroleum products.

The association’s chairman Abdul Majid Khan and patron-in-chief Eng Maqsood Anwar Pervez led the delegation.

SCCI vice-president Ijaz Khan Afridi and general secretary Sajjad Aziz were also present on this occasion.

The participants talked about ‘open’ sale of the smuggled Iranian petrol and diesel and harassment of employees at filling stations by the local administration officials.

Fuad Ishaq assured that the chamber would take up the issues of the petroleum dealers’ association with the federal and provincial governments.

The SCCI chief also stressed the need for reviewing the power and gas tariffs to prevent the menace of smuggling.

He urged the government to create a favourable environment for promoting businesses/investment activities in the province. “There is an urgent need to find a solution to all the problems through dialogue between the government and the business community,” Mr Ishaq asserted.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2023