Islamabad, JULY27: When the country experiences economic instability, people turn to a variety of despicable and dangerous means of obtaining additional income, such as smuggling drugs into and out of the nation or installing illicit gas pumps in residential areas.
Even though the district government forbade the building of gas pumps in residential areas, shady businesspeople have been able to get NOCs for selling gasoline in limited areas thanks to the cooperation of the Environment, Labor, and Industry departments. Although it might be profitable for individuals engaged, the hazardous business of selling inferior gasoline at tiny gas pumps in a housing society
It is without a doubt a source of concern to the surrounding residents, who live in continual fear of a gasoline tank explosion. Small petrol pumps positioned all across the city frequently sell tainted and subpar Iranian oil. Because low-quality oil damages engines and might result in explosions, this risky practice has to be outlawed, according to automotive expert Qadir Sehgal.
Shahid Ali, a small-scale petrol pump installer in Lahore, testified in his own defense that they were permitted to put their pumps in residential areas by the city government, local police, and representatives of the labor and environment agencies in exchange for a sizeable weekly or monthly payment.
“The machinery can be retrieved in the next 24 hours by paying a bribe if it is confiscated and taken away by the Assistant Commissioner or any other organization, or if the shop is sealed,” revealed Ali. He also revealed that oil agencies had installed mini gasoline pumps for Rs200,000, from which he received a commission of Rs25,000 to Rs30,000 per day.
The Express Tribune has sources that claim that there are over 5000 mini gas pumps in Lahore alone. These are located in nine different towns: Dataganj Bakhsh Town, Wagah Town, Aziz Bhatti Town, Nishtar Town, Samanabad Town, Ravi Town, Allama Iqbal Town, Shalimar Town, and Gulberg Town. Of these, nearly 1000 are located in Aziz Bhatti Town alone.
“Illegal tiny fuel pumps are in operation everywhere, and they lack even basic safety equipment like fire extinguishers. All we can do, though, is issue challans. That is the district government’s responsibility to seal the pumps. The small-time gas station gang has grown so powerful that oil sales resume the day following an attack. The Director of Civil Defence, a division of the Home Department, said that senior officers in his department “seem helpless on this issue.”
Based on information gathered from Rescue 1122, which states that five to seven explosion events are reported at gas stations in Lahore every day, it is clear how dangerous these gas pumps are for the inhabitants there of which most involve the outbreak of fires. In addition, there were 370 documented fire occurrences at small gas stations in 2022, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals and the injuries of nearly 60 others. The Deputy Commissioner’s Office spokeswoman addressed worries about the safety of micro gasoline pumps by asserting that, upon receiving orders, a prompt crackdown was initiated against illicit mini gasoline stations.
Naseemur Rahman, Director General of Environment, reaffirmed that oil sales in residential areas are prohibited. “In the past two years, no one has received a NOC. Violators will face consequences from us. Those claiming to have NOCs must be in possession of the earlier versions, which are now deemed canceled.
