Talks fail between Petroleum Ministry, striking oil tankers' association

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Talks between Ministry of Petroleum and representatives of All Pakistan Oil Tankers Association (APOTA) have failed, after they refused to comply with government orders pertaining to the use of substandard, unsafe vehicles for transportation of fuel.

The mafia operating oil tankers in the country appears to have learnt nothing from the tragic incident in Bahawalpur, which claimed the lives of over 200 people on June 25.

The incident occurred when an oil tanker, which was overturned earlier, exploded near Ahmed Pur East tehsil in Bahawalpur district. The deceased included villagers and passers-by, who attempted to collect oil leaking from the tanker.

The oil tankers' owners have been bent on supply of fuel through the same vehicles.

"We do not accept OGRA regulation; it's policy is wrong," said Yousuf Shahwani, APOTA chairman, while speaking to Geo News.

"We do not accept increasing the number of oil tankers' axles," he said, adding that they didn't set fire to the oil tanker in Bahawalpur; it was the people present over there.

Shahwani warned that if their demands were not met then the strike would not end. He said that they had a two-axle agreement with National Highway Authority, which was in place for the last ten years.

'Oil tankers' owners blackmailing authorities'

Speaking to media, Imran Ghaznavi, spokesman for Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), accused oil tankers' owners of blackmailing the authorities. "We will not allow it. The owners of oil tankers should come and talk to us."

He requested the APOTA representatives to not play with the lives of people, adding that they suspected oil marketing companies were behind the strike.

Ghaznavi said the companies involved in the crisis would be exposed.

On Monday, APOTA announced to go on a countrywide strike in protest of the safety rules imposed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). The association members decided not to supply oil to fuel stations in protest for an indefinite period, until their demands were met.

OGRA said it would start checking the tankers being used by oil marketing companies, as it was feared many oil tankers did not fulfill the quality criteria.

The regulator decided to implement the safety rules after the horrific incident in Ahmedpur East, which claimed lives of over 200 people.