ISLAMABAD, July 31 (Alliance News): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed comprehensive reforms in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), calling for greater transparency, stronger oversight and enhanced institutional capacity in the petroleum sector.
Chairing a high-level meeting on the revamping and digitization of OGRA, the prime minister said the government’s reform agenda must be implemented uniformly across all public institutions.
He directed authorities to develop a nationwide fuel movement monitoring system, using the Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) modern tracking mechanism as a model.
The prime minister also ordered the use of advanced technology and digital software to monitor the entire petroleum supply chain, from ports and refineries to petrol pumps, to improve transparency and prevent irregularities.
To strengthen OGRA’s institutional capacity, he directed the recruitment of reputable private-sector experts through a transparent and merit-based process as part of the authority’s restructuring.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the government would provide all necessary professional expertise to support the reform process and reiterated its commitment to protecting public resources.
He warned that no one would be allowed to exploit consumers or manipulate the petroleum system and directed regulatory authorities to establish formal coordination mechanisms with their respective ministries.
He also ordered the acceleration of work to upgrade the country’s oil refineries under the approved policy.
During the meeting, the OGRA chairman briefed participants on the authority’s performance, challenges and comprehensive reform programme.
The meeting was informed that OGRA had made significant progress in digitally monitoring the petroleum supply chain through systems including the National Monitoring Dashboard, Tanker Track and Trace System, Depot Tank Telemetry, Rahguzar Mobile Application, Digital Sales Entry System at petrol pumps and a Central Monitoring Cell.
Officials said these digital platforms were helping monitor petroleum products more effectively from transportation and storage to retail sales.
The prime minister was further informed that a data-driven enforcement campaign conducted during July 2026 detected cases of hoarding, unnecessary supply disruptions and other regulatory violations.
Authorities subsequently issued show-cause notices, sought explanations from those involved and initiated legal proceedings where required.
The meeting also reviewed OGRA’s broader reform agenda, including digitization, restructuring of its enforcement mechanism, establishment of a compliance wing, licensing reforms, improved legal management, stronger financial resources and reorganization of the authority.
Appreciating the reform programme, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed that the digital monitoring system be made fully operational at the earliest to curb hoarding and profiteering and ensure transparency in the oil and gas sector.
He said uninterrupted fuel supplies and fair prices for consumers remained key government priorities, adding that negligence and corruption would not be tolerated.
The prime minister also directed relevant ministries and departments to expedite legal, administrative and policy measures required to strengthen OGRA and modernize Pakistan’s regulatory framework.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Federal Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Dr Musadik Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Attaullah Tarar, Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Ali Pervaiz Malik, Special Assistant Tariq Bajwa and senior government officials attended the meeting.
