Bureaucracy blamed for petrol shortage.

ISLAMABAD -- Oil companies and refineries have blamed the bureaucracy for current petrol shortage in the country, saying the indecision regarding import as well as enhancing local petrol production led to the current situation.

The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) on Sunday said that a 'disinformation campaign and maligning of refineries and oil marketing companies (OMCs)' was a matter of serious concern.

'It is regretful that a lot of misinformation and blame game directed towards the Downstream Petroleum Sector has been observed particularly in the past two weeks which is unnecessary and counterproductive,' it said.

The OCAC said there was an urgent need to review and analyse the inherent reasons for present shortages of petrol in the country which include import embargo in March, directives by the energy ministry to lift the same embargo in April and delayed approvals for imports.

It claimed the ministry failed to determine the rise in demand as the Covid-19 lockdowns were being eased from May and there was tendency among consumers to move and drive around with exceptionally low oil prices, etc.

'We would like to highlight...