Imposition of heavy fines, sealing of petrol pumps resented

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Petrol pumps owners and dealers have resented the imposing heavy fines, sealing of petrol pumps, torture of staffs due to violation of district administration orders regarding ban on sale of petrol to bikers without helmet in provincial metropolis.

The issues were raised during a meeting of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Standing Committee on Petroleum, which was chaired by the chamber president Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz here on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by the committee chairman, Mansoor Sharif, senior vice chairman Muhammad Ibrahim, vice chairman Hafeezullah Marwat, vice chairman Abdul Jalil Jan Afridi, member Haji Altaf Khan, Majid, Khalil Naeem Khan, Adnan Anwar, Farooq Wajid, Hamid Shah, Ashfaq, Rizwan, Tariq and others.

The meeting said that the decision of district authorities to ban the sale of petrol to bikers without helmet was tantamount to ‘business-hostile’, which would create mistrust with the government and hurt businesses, so it is unacceptable to them.

It is the responsibility of traffic police, excise and other relevant subordinate departments to implement road safety rules, but the duty has shifted from government officials to the business community, which was unacceptable to them, the meeting added.

The meeting also condemned the increasing incidents of robbery and dacoits at petrol pumps, and demanded that the steps should be taken for provision of security.

The participants called upon the provincial government to take notice of misbehavior of district administration officials with the pumps managers and staff. They said the checking/testing quality of petrol should be only done from the provincial labour department instead of multiple authorities.

The speakers also expressed concern over checking of cleanliness by district administration at petrol pumps.

They asked that the quality checking of petrol should be carried out in presence of labour department and district administration officials. They said the traffic rules should be implemented through departments concerned instead of asking petrol pumps to enforce the traffic laws.

The meeting unanimously decided the reconstitution and revival of petrol pumps owners association.