"Under special approvals from the OGRA, we have started to move products from Sihala so that the customers are fed product and the dry out situation does not occur in the busy city of Peshawar and adjoining areas," said a letter written to Director General Oil, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, by management of Total Parco.
In a letter, Total Parco Marketing Ltd argued that they could not supply products to customers in the Taru Jabba fed area as the union did not allow trucks to load and offload products at the depot. They threatened the staff and the willing drivers, transporters for adverse action, in case the operations were carried out. They even did not allow trucks to physically report at PSO depot, the management of Total alleged.
An official of the ministry said that the relevant departments including local police have been trying to resolve the dispute amicably between the union and representatives of the oil company.
The management of the oil company is accusing the union of raising such demands, which are unjust and baseless. "Their demands violate the existing contracts with the transporters and do not provide level playing field to other transporters," the letter stated. The oil company further maintained that it requested for ministry's co-operation and support in managing continuity of its operations and product supplies to essential customers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017