ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has vehemently refuted and categorically rejected a media report titled “OGRA Member Gas ‘delays’ bringing LPG bowsers to tax net”, terming the story “incorrect, malicious and misleading”.
In response to the above-mentioned story Published in Pakistan Today on 3rd Feb 2020, the authority stated, “Although OGRA ordinance have been in force and affect since year 2002 which required regulation of midstream and downstream sectors, OGRA first time took the cognizance of license of LPG transportation activity in the year 2011-12 i.e. over nine years ago. However, due to cumbersome and costly licensing procedure and that too for individual LPG bowser, only three LPG bowers could be granted license. The non-cooperation and lack of response from the LPG Marketing Companies and private LPG bowsers speak volumes about how difficult it was for the LPG bowser owners to seeking licenses for each individual bowser, even when OGRA reduced the license fee from Rs100,000 to Rs25,000 per bowser.”
OGRA said the incumbent Member Gas, who is a qualified professional and has long extensive experience of oil and gas industry, reviewed the long outstanding LPG bowser licensing matter and identified loopholes in the lengthy procedure and mechanism for individual licensing of LPG bowsers by OGRA.
“It may be borne in mind that three tier certification and licensing mechanism of each LPG bowser is already in place. LPG Bower Manufacturers in Pakistan are already certified by OGRA. Once LPG Bowser is manufactured, it is subject to the license from the Chief Inspector of Explosives (CIE) and also relevant Road Transport Authority (TPA). After all the three-tier certification from different statutory departments in place, existing procedure also requires a certification from an independent third party appointed by OGRA.
