ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has tightened controls on furnace oil exports, directing that any overseas shipment must receive prior approval from the Prime Minister’s Committee on Monitoring of Petrol Prices, citing the evolving regional situation amid the US–Iran conflict.
According to industry sources, the government has imposed stricter oversight on the export of furnace oil, directing that any shipment abroad will require prior approval from the Prime Minister’s Committee on Monitoring of Petrol Prices.
The directive was conveyed through a letter issued by the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), which instructed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to ensure compliance with the new requirement.
According to the letter dated March 9, 2026, the decision was taken in a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Monitoring of Petrol Prices, which decided that any export of furnace oil (FO) would be allowed only after obtaining prior approval from the committee.
The communication was later circulated by OGRA to local refineries, directing them to comply with the policy decision before undertaking any furnace oil export.
In its letter issued on March 11, 2026, OGRA informed refinery chief executives that the decision had been taken “in view of the emerging regional situation arising from the US-Iran conflict.”
The regulator noted that exports of furnace oil “shall be undertaken only after obtaining prior approval from the aforesaid PM Committee.”
The directive was formally communicated to major refineries, including Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO), Attock Refinery Limited, National Refinery Limited, Pakistan Refinery Limited, and Cnergyico Limited.
As per industry sources, the measure is aimed at ensuring closer monitoring of petroleum product flows and maintaining supply stability in the domestic market amid evolving geopolitical developments in the region.
The correspondence indicates that the government wants to retain oversight over furnace oil exports during the current regional uncertainty, allowing exports only after review by the prime minister’s monitoring committee responsible for overseeing petroleum price dynamics, the industry sources added.
It is pertinent to mention that this move has reflected the government’s broader effort to closely monitor the petroleum supply chain and pricing environment, particularly at a time when geopolitical tensions in the region have the potential to disrupt global energy markets and trade flows.
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