ISLAMABAD, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — The Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC) of Pakistan on Monday said that the country is expected to face petrol and high-speed diesel shortage in the days ahead, calling for special measures to avert the looming fuel crisis.

“Keeping in view the ongoing sales trend, we foresee product (petrol, diesel) availability challenges in various pockets of the country in days to come due to inadequate imports and limited local avails,” said the OCAC, a representative body of the oil sector in the country.

A deficit of 210,000 metric tons of high-speed diesel and 147,000 metric tons of petrol was worked out after extensive deliberation previously.

However, it is alarming that petrol import corresponding to the anticipated sales volume and stock cover has also not been booked yet, the OCAC noted.

The importers were supposed to finalize the import plan, but as of now, there is a gap in the import plan, it said, adding that a few oil marketing companies’ sales for the last month have been higher than expected and have continuously been carrying low stocks since October 2022.

Considering the situation, the oil sector representative asked the country’s oil and gas regulators to issue necessary directives to the importing companies for strict adherence to the import plans to avoid a shortage.