GB oil mafia active again at the onset of winter

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Various tactics employed to tame state-run oil retailer, officials
The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Thursday said Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) oil mafia which reaped illegitimate benefits to the tune of billions during Musharraf’s era has become active again.
The mafia is using all the ploys to tame state-run oil marketing company and the officials of Ogra as well as petroleum ministry to get desired results.
As always, the GB oil mafia has created artificial shortage of fuel and a strike by the carriage contractors has been engineered during the biting cold, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
However, he said, the concerned government departments have refused to bow down to the unjust demands.
He said that the mafia embezzled billions by misusing petroleum freight subsidy, it would fill a tanker from Sihala depot for GB, sell fuel at any filling station in the twin cities and charge fare for GB from the government.
Dr Murtaza Mughal said that some private oil marketing companies also helped the mafia by granting licences to establish many filling stations in the GB.
The activity came to lime light when official oil sale was reduced in the twin cities and exceptionally improved in the GB which paved the way for an investigation in the matter by PEW.
Subsequently, action by government departments controlled the activities of mafia to some extent, however they were smart enough to find some novel ways, he said.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that last year, the government decided to pay the freight subsidy to contractor only if a tanker if emptied in the PSO depot located in Janglot which reduced corruption.
Now the mafia wants the decision to be reversed so that they can buy petrol and diesel in access of total GB demand, sell it locally and charge freight on fake papers prepared by their filling stations located in Gilgit.
Despite ongoing issues in the oil and gas sector, none of the concerned department has shown any willingness to bow down to the demands of the GB oil mafia, said Dr. Mughal.

In: UncategorizedAuthor: host