KARACHI, May 3: The trade of smuggled Iranian petrol is flourishing in the city as it is being sold in most parts of the metropolis openly.

A survey conducted by Online shows that the trade of smuggled Iranian petrol is growing in the city due to the upsurge in the petroleum products’ prices and the low cost of the Iranian petrol.

During the visit to different areas of the city including Lyari, Lea Market, Baghdadi, Kharader, Garden, Light House, Manghopir and Golimar, it was witnessed that the Iranian petrol was being sold openly at roadside shops and stalls.

It was also noticed that most consumers of the products were motorcyclists. It indicates that the sky-rocketing prices have compelled the low-income people to look for cheap stuff.

One Shaikh, who was getting filled his motorcycle tank with the Iranian petrol at a roadside shop in front of Light House, said he preferred the Iranian petrol as it was cheap and he could not afford to buy petrol in the open market.

The survey also revealed that the Iranian petrol was available at Rs42 per litre at Lea Market, Rs45 at Baghdadi, Rs45 in Kharadar, Rs40 at Garden and Golimar, Rs45 at Light House and Rs40 at Manghopir whereas the market price of petrol is about Rs54 per litre.

According to estimates by the ministry of petroleum, the government loses Rs5 billion to Rs6 billion in tax revenue per annum to smuggled petroleum products.

The smuggling of petroleum products from Iran has a long history and Balochistan and Sindh have remained the main markets for the smuggled products. But a recent report said that during the last two years, the market for smuggled oil products has expanded to Punjab and the NWFP. A wide-range of smuggled lubricants is found in every city of Pakistan.

The most horrible fact of this illegal business is the dumping and unloading of the smuggled petroleum products. Petrol and diesel is dumped on open space by the shopkeepers. It is supplied in cans. —Online