IT seems we are still reeling from the June 2020 petrol shortages. Some vested interest groups continue to mismanage the affair in order to drag it forever. The issue of that avoidable episode was no rocket science, but the investigation is still in process.

One very important aspect in the scenario is that it is meaningless and a big waste of time, resources and energy on the part of the teams working on the investigation to include small and relatively new oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the probe.

There are over 20 such OMCs, and each company has a market share that is hardly in the decimals of the overall pie. It is practically and logically not possible that these new OMCs could manipulate the market at all to create the fuel shortage.

These new small-scale OMCs do not have the muscle to manipulate the market or to get involved in black marketing or such other manipulative tactics. The government must consider this factual position and avoid wasting resources.

Shakil Baig
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2021