All Pakistan Tankers' Owners Association has negated the allegations of Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers' Association (PVMA) that tankers' mafia has been allegedly involved in burning of four oil tankers of National Logistics Cell (NLC) in Karachi.

Talking to Business Recorder, Chairman All Pakistan Tankers' Owners Association, Bukhtawar said, "We have not burnt the oil tankers of NLC.

In fact NLC is not supplying edible oil to the vegetable ghee/ cooking oil mills across the country for the last 8-9 months as per agreement with PVMA".

He alleged that the PVMA itself is involved in burning of oil tankers, but blamed tanker's association for this act of terrorism.

Responding to this, a representative of the PVMA has termed the statement of the All Pakistan Tankers' Owners Association as joke that why a ghee mill or cooking oil manufacturer would destroy its own finished product or stop its supply causing huge loss to them.

Bukhtawar of All Pakistan Tankers' Owners Association added that in May 2011, All Pakistan Tankers' Owners Association and the PVMA went through a verbal agreement.

According to the agreement, if the Tankers' Association reduced 7 percent its transport charges, then NLC would not be permitted to supply edible oil across the country as the lifting capacity of the Cell was just 5 percent and the rest of the 95 percent oil was being loaded by the tankers of the association.

"Now in February, PVMA has allowed some private tankers for the supply of oil to the other parts of the country, which is against the agreement", Bukhtawar revealed.

When this scribe contacted a senior official of NLC, he said while requesting anonymity, "Edible oil is an essential food item and NLC is bound to carry the loads of edible oil to the vegetable ghee/cooking oil mills in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2012

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