The government of Pakistan is planning to introduce an additional fee on every litre of fuel. This fee will help oil marketing companies (OMCs) and petrol pumps to digitise the fuel supply chain. The main goal is to stop fuel smuggling, which is causing major financial losses.

Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, shared this update on Friday. He was speaking to the media during his visit to the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC). He said that the extra fee would be added to the cost of each litre of fuel. However, he assured the public that this would not increase fuel prices.

Govt Plans Extra Fuel Fee to Stop Smuggling and Digitise Petrol Pumps

Although the exact fee was not officially announced, sources say it may be around Rs1.35 per litre for OMCs and Rs1.40 per litre for petrol pump dealers.

The Petroleum Ministry is preparing a summary to present this proposal to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC). The summary will be sent within the next two months for approval.

Minister Malik said a similar summary had been submitted earlier, but it had some issues. These problems are now being resolved. Once approved, the extra fee will be used to upgrade the entire fuel supply system.

The digitisation plan includes using radar-based technology and installing digital nozzles and CCTV cameras. These tools will help monitor fuel trucks and petrol pumps. This will make it easier to track fuel movement and detect smuggled products, especially diesel.

According to the minister, the project will be carried out in phases. In the first phase, all petroleum products across the country were registered. In the second phase, oil tankers transporting fuel to pumps will be digitised. Currently, 85% of these trucks are already equipped with the new technology. The goal is to reach 100% in the next two to three months.

Digital nozzles at petrol stations are also being upgraded. So far, 70% have been replaced. The rest will be done within two months. Full digitisation of petrol pumps and the supply system is expected within six to 12 months. This will depend on the timely release of funds and repayment plans for OMCs.

Minister Malik also spoke about issues with power producers. He said they are not buying imported gas (RLNG) as agreed. This is causing financial stress for Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and adding to the circular debt in the gas sector.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has advised Pakistan to stop increasing circular debt and reduce it to zero. The minister said that, like the power sector, the gas sector may also need to take bank loans to handle this problem.

The government hopes that with better monitoring, digital tools, and strong action against smuggling, the fuel supply chain will become more secure and efficient. This would benefit both the economy and consumers in the long run.