KARACHI, May 7 Oil tankers owners have warned that they would suspend oil supply across the country if the government does not withdraw new powers given to the National Highway Authority allowing it to impose heavy fines on commercial vehicles not meeting specific standards.

This was stated by Mir Yousuf Shahwani, chairman All Pakistan Oil Tankers Owners Association while addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday.

“So far, we haven't received any response from any side and we would be forced to withdraw 33,000 oil tankers supplying petroleum products across the country,” he added.

He said the NHA had been imposing exorbitant fines on oil tankers under different rules for the last one month, which emerged as a rude shock to the transporters, who were not taken on board neither informed about the fresh rules.

He said that oil tankers were intercepted at different points on the highways, where the NHA officials conduct random inspection and impose fines without defining the deficiencies. “We have only learnt through some officials that the NHA is exercising its powers under new arrangements, which allow it to charge the tankers violating weight of the vehicles and the consignments,” he added.

He said the fresh orders were contradictory to the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, which had already defined regulations regarding the commercial vehicles and at the same time it did not authorise the government body like NHA to become a tax levying and collecting authority.

Mr Shahwani also cited rising incidents of oil tankers' hijacking in the limits of Karachi as well as in the upcountry. He alleged the police collaborated with the criminals ring facilitating the hijacking of tankers from highways.

Iqbal Jahangiri of the association claimed that about nine tankers had been hijacked from Super Highway near Northern Bypass in less than a month.

“It's hard to believe that almost all the oil tankers were hijacked from a particular point near Northern Bypass and the police remained unaware of the culprits or the particular gang,” he said.

After three or four days the hijacked tanker is found abandoned somewhere on the highway without the oil, he added.