Govt to present recommendations in week to resolve issues of oil tanker association

Petroleum minister assures that govt’s foremost priority is to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies, facilitate public

The federal government and the Oil Tankers Contractors Association (OTCA) on Monday agreed to form a high-level committee to address issues facing tanker owners.

According to a statement issued by the Petroleum Division, the breakthrough came after a successful meeting between the Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and the OTCA delegation, led by its president, Abidullah Afridi.

"Agreement to resolve issues through mutual consultation. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik has formed a high-level committee to resolve issues of oil tanker contractors. The committee headed by petroleum special secretary will submit recommendations within a week," the statement said, adding that it would comprise the director general (oil), representatives of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) and the OTCA, and the secretary general of the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC).

وفاقی وزیرِ پیٹرولیم علی پرویز ملک کی آئل ٹینکر کنٹریکٹرز ایسوسی ایشن کے وفد سے کامیاب ملاقات, مسائل باہمی مشاورت سے حل کرنے پر اتفاق. وزیرِ پیٹرولیم علی پرویز ملک نے آئل ٹینکر کنٹریکٹرز کے مسائل کے حل کے لیے اعلیٰ سطحی کمیٹی تشکیل دے دی جو ایک ہفتے میں سفارشات پیش کرے گی pic.twitter.com/1Pxd0s0Rjv

— Petroleum Division, Ministry of Energy (@Official_PetDiv) July 27, 2026

During the meeting, the OTCA delegation presented its key demands, including a reduction in the White Oil Pipeline quota, a transparent mechanism for the award of freight contracts by oil marketing companies (OMCs), linking the freight formula to the Consumer Price Index and the immediate discontinuation of commercial loading.

READ: Govt shifts to daily POL pricing amid global headwinds

The statement added that Malik directed Ogra to work closely with stakeholders to address the genuine concerns of oil tanker contractors.

The minister requested OMCs to submit their written policies governing the award of freight contracts so that any discriminatory practices could be addressed.

“The government’s foremost priority is to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies and facilitate the public,” he added.

The OTCA appreciated the minister’s positive approach and welcomed the constitution of the committee, expressing confidence that the issues would be resolved through dialogue and cooperation.

Earlier, the federal government announced that petroleum product prices would now be reviewed and notified on a daily basis, replacing the weekly pricing mechanism, as renewed tensions between the United States and Iran continued to drive volatility in global oil markets and raise concerns over fuel supplies.

Officials said the daily review system would allow domestic fuel prices to reflect changes in international oil markets more quickly while reducing the risk of supply disruptions and speculative hoarding.

The All Pakistan Petrol Pump Owners Association subsequently called a planned nationwide shutdown for two weeks but postponed it following successful negotiations with Malik, who assured dealers that their long-pending concerns would be addressed.