Oil companies move LHC against FIA action in petrol crisis

LAHORE: Oil companies on Monday moved the Lahore High Court (LHC) against Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) action in last year’s petrol crisis, ARY News reported.

The lawyer of the oil companies stated that despite the orders of LHC single and double benches, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has registered cases against them and sealed offices.

The plaintiff pleaded with the court to stop FIA from action against the oil companies. Last week, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had arrested officials of the petroleum ministry over their alleged involvement in petrol crisis

The cases were registered at the FIA Lahore in the light of inquiries conducted to figure out the responsible behind the recent petrol crisis.

Sources privy to the development said that cases were registered against two oil marketing companies and OGRA officials.

OGRA’s member gas, Aamir Naseem, member oil, OGRA, Abdullah Malik, DG Oil, Shafiullah and assistant director Iman Abro have been arrested by the FIA officials. The arrested are accused of awarding petroleum marketing licenses illegally, allowing illegal petrol import quota.

The companies after getting the marketing licenses established several illegal petrol pumps, which dented the loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer.

It may be noted that the federal government had made public the inquiry commission’s report on the petrol crisis-2020.

According to the details, the inquiry commission held oil marketing companies, Petroleum Division and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) responsible for the acute fuel crisis in the country last year.