Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) on Thursday informed a sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources that a rare metal, molybdenum, had been discovered in Balochistan.

GSP Director General Dr Imran Khan informed the committee meeting, chaired by Fateh Muhammad Muhammad Hassani, about the natural resources’ surveys, completed specially in different parts of Balochistan. He revealed that the discovery of precious metal ‘molybdenum’ had been made in Durban Chah area of Balochistan, which was used in producing ‘strategic material’.

“Its price in the international market is $100,000 per tonne and further assessment of the discovery is underway,” he added.

Besides, he said, 36 new minerals had been discovered in different parts of Balochistan.

The convener underlined the need for changing the existing GSP rules, allowing it for joint ventures with the private sector to identify the country’s real potential in the mineral sector. The committee appreciated the role of the GSP in identifying the country’s potential in natural resources, stressing the need to adopt modern techniques in their exploration for benefit of the country.

During another briefing on the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), the members expressed concern over the sale of smuggled petrol and diesel at different designated petrol pumps across the country.

“Millions of gallons oil, amounting to billions of dollars, is being smuggled and sold even by mixing it with other brands at different petrol pumps and all is going unchecked,” the committee convener observed.

He said he was himself a victim of the smuggled fuel, which was not only causing loss to national exchequer but also damaging vehicle engines. “I myself got changed the engines of four personal vehicles damaged in six months due to the substandard smuggled fuel.”

He also claimed that smuggled fuel was being sold at all petrol stations operating in Balochistan.

A representative of the PSO informed the committee that the company had 200 petrol pumps in Balochistan, having an effective mechanism to check the fuels’ quality and measurement.

He said the company had 30 mobile quality inspection units, which carried out surprise visits to check the quality and measurement at filling stations across the country.

To a query, the PSO official could not provide any detail with regard to the number of inspections and subsequent action taken against the violators. The committee expressed displeasure over absence of PSO’s managing director in the meeting and warned him of stern action if it happened in the next meeting.

The committee said that around 390 illegal filling stations were operating in different parts of the country.