DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Mini Petrol Pump Association has demanded that the district administration Peshawar cease its operations against legally operating mini petrol pumps in Peshawar.
In a press conference held at the Peshawar Press Club (PPC) here on Tuesday, association officials expressed concerns over the growing unemployment and the waste of expensive machinery, which they say was negatively impacting the economy and business climate in Peshawar and the broader province.
The association called for the immediate return of mini petrol dispensers taken into government custody and the restoration of businesses operating legally. They also urged the authorities to take action against unregistered warehouses involved in the sale, purchase, and storage of illegal and smuggled Iranian petrol.
Speaking at the press conference, Haji Shahjahan, President of the Mini Petrol Pump Association, was joined by Vice President Abid Ali, General Secretary Abdul Haseeb, Press Secretary Zahid Ali, and Senior Lawyer Abdul Nasser Advocate, the association’s legal advisor.
The group expressed alarm over government raids on more than 70 mini petrol pumps in Peshawar, which they claim were conducted despite a court stay order.
During the raids, many dispensers were reportedly demolished, seized, and taken into government custody, leaving those involved in legal businesses distressed, they added.
“Thousands of workers are now facing unemployment, and millions of rupees worth of equipment have been destroyed,” Shahjahan said. “These actions are damaging our businesses and the local economy.”
The association also criticized the lack of action against warehouses operating illegally, particularly those in proximity to the Petroleum Dealers Association. According to the association, many of these warehouses engage in illegal activities, including dealing in smuggled Iranian petrol, yet no significant measures have been taken against them. “We are law-abiding businesses who earn our livelihood through hard work, yet we are being targeted daily, while illegal operations continue unchecked,” said Shahjahan. The association warned that if their demands were not met, they will take further action, including organizing a protest at Assembly Chowk. “If the district administration fails to respond positively, we will hold them fully responsible for the unrest,” Shahjahan added.
