Government orders nationwide crackdown on fuel smuggling

The federal government has ordered a nationwide crackdown to prevent the smuggling of petroleum, oil and lubricants (POL) products, directing provincial administrations and law enforcement agencies to strengthen monitoring and enforcement across the country.

The directive was issued through a “Most Immediate” communication from the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control following instructions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to the communication, the prime minister directed authorities to ensure that petroleum products are not illegally transported or smuggled outside Pakistan.

The decision followed a high-level meeting held on March 3 in which officials reviewed the security and energy situation in the region. The government noted that developments in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, have created uncertainty in global energy supply chains.

In this context, authorities were instructed to take preventive measures to safeguard domestic fuel reserves and ensure continued availability of petroleum products within the country.

The Interior Ministry directed provincial governments, law enforcement agencies and relevant institutions to establish effective monitoring systems, particularly along border areas, major transit routes, storage depots and fuel distribution networks.

The communication was addressed to the chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue, the secretary of the Petroleum Division in the Ministry of Energy, chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as inspectors general of police of the provinces and Islamabad Capital Territory.

The ministry instructed all concerned departments to maintain vigilance and initiate legal action against individuals or groups involved in the illegal transportation or smuggling of petroleum products.