Crackdown at Northern Bypass: Authorities demolish 61 illegal petrol pumps

Customs along with the police and Rangers raided the filling stations along Northern bypass.

KARACHI: Sixty-one illegal petrol pumps on the Northern bypass were demolished in a Customs crackdown assisted by police and Rangers.

“Heavy quantity of petroleum products and dispensers of worth Rs1b were also confiscated,” said Collector Customs (Preventive) Tariq Huda.

Addressing a press conference at Customs House, Huda said authorities had a tip off that these petrol pumps were involved in illegally selling smuggled Irani petrol and diesel. More than 100 dispensers and other equipment were also taken into custody, he added.



He said the officials did not face any resistance during the action as all the staff at these petrol pumps fled on arrival of the authorities and no arrests could be made. “The culprits will, however, be rounded up soon,” he said, adding that such crackdown would continue.

Huda said the companies working lawfully could not operate because of these illegal vendors of fuel. “The smuggled petroleum products are also causing the consumers heavy loss as they damage their vehicles,” he added.

The official vowed that the action against these illegal petrol pumps would continue without any discrimination and political compromises.  It may be noted that there are hundreds of illegal petrol pumps operating on Northern bypass and Hub River Road.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2013.