Business Desk 
Jun 24, 2025
The Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association (PPDA) is claiming that oil marketing companies (OMCs) are manipulating fuel prices by creating a false sense of a shortage. This comes as rising tensions between Iran and Israel are driving up global oil prices, in turn raising fears of local price increases.
Fuel—including petrol and diesel—is critical to Pakistan's transport, trade, and daily life. A disruption in supply affects millions of people directly.
However, the PPDA claims that several OMCs are deliberately restricting fuel deliveries to petrol pumps, despite the argument put forward by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) that OMCs must uphold their obligation to fuel suppliers with a direct delivery supply.
PPDA Senior Vice Chairman Malik Khuda Bakhsh stated that several OMCs are not providing adequate quotas of fuel to dealers.
He claimed they are “waiting for expected price increases” driven by the worsening geopolitical situation in the Middle East. “This is clear manipulation. These companies are ignoring OGRA’s rule to maintain a 20-day fuel stock under their licenses,” Bakhsh said.
Moreover, the PPDA has called on the government and OGRA to take strong enforcement action against these oil companies, with Bakhsh reassuring that "current fuel reserves are well above the national demand for more than 20 days," and therefore, there is no real chance of a petrol shortage in Pakistan.
However, Bakhsh warned, if OMCs persist in fueling any sense of shortage, it will result in long queues at petrol pumps, panic buying, and public frustration.
Fuel supply stabilisation is incredibly important for both the economy of Pakistan and the public it's serving. The PPDA also reiterated that if OGRA genuinely wants to avoid an artificial crisis, it should improve its monitoring system.
“We need immediate intervention to protect consumers from this unfair practice and ensure uninterrupted fuel availability,” Bakhsh added.
