No scope for favouritism in proposed fuel import policy: Ministry

The government has taken an initiative to draft a policy for the private-sector import of refined fuel to ensure an uninterrupted and secure supply of fuel oil in the country.

However, the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources has made it clear that there is no scope under the proposed policy to provide special benefits to any particular individual, company or group.

The ministry disclosed the information in a press release signed by its Deputy Chief Information Officer Muhammad Arif Sadeque on Saturday.

According to the release, the government has initiated the drafting of the “Policy on Storage, Transportation, Distribution and Marketing of Refined Fuel Imported by the Private Sector, 2026”. The core objective of the proposed policy is to ensure the country’s energy security and maintain an uninterrupted fuel supply.

Another key objective is to establish a transparent and competitive system through which the infrastructure and investment capacity of the private sector can be utilised in the national interest alongside existing government arrangements during emergencies or crises.

The ministry said the policy would be finalised after seeking opinions and recommendations from all stakeholders involved in the energy sector.

It said the formulation of such a policy would be considered only if it could ensure public interest, energy security, a competitive market, transparency and accountability. Therefore, there is no scope for providing special benefits to any particular person or entity under the policy, it added.

The release also said some media outlets and social media platforms had recently published speculative and inaccurate information about the proposed policy.

Such dissemination of information was undesirable, it said, urging all concerned to act responsibly on the issue.