Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting on petroleum products on Friday, reviewing stockpiles amid shifting regional conditions.

Officials at the Ministry of Petroleum briefed the meeting on the stockpiling of petroleum products, saying there is sufficient inventory to meet the country’s needs.

The Prime Minister directed provincial governments to take strict legal action against hoarders and ordered that petrol pumps involved in creating artificial shortages be shut down immediately.

He also instructed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to cancel the licenses of offenders.

He further directed the Petroleum Minister of Pakistan to visit the provinces to develop a plan with local authorities to ensure the conservation and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products.

A dashboard will be created to monitor the movement of petroleum products in real time and share data with provincial governments, the Prime Minister said, emphasising improved oversight of transportation.