Lahore HC orders Pakistan government to recover unlawful gains from oil marketing companies amid 2020 petrol crisis

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered the Pakistan government to take steps for the recovery of illegal gains made by oil marketing companies (OMCs), which created an artificial shortage during the 2020 petrol crisis.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan ordered the government to take steps for audit of all OMCs. He also ordered the government to form a committee for recovery of unlawful gains from OMCs, reported Geo News.

The court directed authorities to take legal action against those found responsible for creating an artificial shortage.

The LHC was seized with a case about petrol shortage in the country in June 2020 after petrol prices dropped sharply and oil companies attempted to record inventory losses, reported Geo News.

The LHC also directed the authorities to ensure that strategic storage was preserved in all eventualities.

On July 28, 2020, the federal government had constituted a commission that conducted a probe while taking all stakeholders on board.

The verdict directed the federal government to ensure the release of the report of the commission immediately.

The government was directed to submit a compliance report within three months to LHC's Additional Registrar (judicial).

The Chief Justice ordered the Chief Secretaries of the respective provincial governments to take effective steps to empower the district administration to deal with such a situation, reported Geo News.

( With inputs from ANI )

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