Petrol smuggling breach of security, says LHC.

Byline: Wajih Ahmad Sheikh

LAHORE -- Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan has ruled that smuggling of petrol from Iran into Pakistan is a serious charge against those at the helm of affairs.

'This is not short of shocking disclosure that one of the basic requirements of a country, directly connected with our security, was being completed through an illegal mean i.e. smuggling,' the chief justice observed in written order issued on Thursday about last week proceedings on a petition against shortage of petrol in the country.

Secretary Petroleum Asad Hayauddin had appeared before the court and stated that one of the reasons for shortage of petroleum products was strict check at Iran Border after March 19, 2020, from where approximately 1.2 metric ton of petrol was illegally smuggled inside Pakistan, on daily basis.

'Apart from the fact that such an illegal act is being conducted, it is very well in the knowledge of the concerned authorities, still allowing such illegal activity to continue, is a serious charge against all the concerned sitting on helm of affairs,' said the order.

About the failure of the government to control the shortage of the fuel, the chief justice observed that it is not only the federal government or the federal agencies who have shown exemplary slackness, even the authorities at provincial level have failed to do what the law had required from them.

He noted that there is no secret that on one hand the petroleum and allied products are like blood to the body in terms of daily usage/consumption in social, domestic and allied sectors, while on the other hand even the security of our nation is deeply connected with these commodities.

'Stoppage, shortage, hoarding of petroleum or lack of control on prices, mean the concerned...