Pakistan - The minister of petroleum is responsible

Dr Qaisar Rashid

What is happening in the ministry of petroleum should have been known to Abbasi, who should not have indulged in private business while holding a public portfolio

The incumbent government has committed a gigantic act of injustice with the people of Pakistan, especially those living in Punjab, by letting the issue of petroleum scarcity unfold into a crisis. Reportedly, the state-owned Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has defaulted on its payments and is in need of about Rs 100 billion and at least one month to import petrol and its products to make the supply regular. There can be found long queues of cars and motorcycles at every petrol station in Lahore. Consumers can also be found bringing plastic bottles and cans to get rationed petrol. The owners of petrol stations have fenced off their premises to evade the consumers and some call in the police to control the consumers who express anger at them for their refusal to dispense petrol.

The Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, has made a few top bureaucrats scapegoats by provisionally holding them responsible for the crisis. Sharif did that the other day at Lahore airport moments after he landed back from Saudi Arabia. Sharif has also ordered an investigation into the crisis. By so doing, Sharif might be thinking that the pain would be alleviated and people would be pacified. Unfortunately, that cannot happen because the crisis is still lingering on. It is apparent that taking notice of a situation is still a preferred policy than not envisioning an issue. What is the rationale for the investigation when the conclusion has already been drawn? If Sharif were so concerned about the distress vexing people, he should have sacked the minister of petroleum and natural resources, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is actually accountable for the role he was supposed to play.

The petroleum supply crisis has hit the country hard, especially those living in Punjab, who are writhing in agony. To perform an umrah is a religious act but Sharif has taken an oath to serve the country as the PM. He has to make a choice: whether he wants to perform umrahs or consecrate his oath. His strategy of finding fall guys in the bureaucracy but giving a clean chit to his ministers is preposterous. What is happening in the ministry of petroleum should have been known to Abbasi, who should not have indulged in private business while holding a public portfolio.

Why did Abbasi not know that the number of oil carrying ships had been reduced to nil for the past one month and the reasons for the same? Where was Abbasi? If the secretary petroleum kept him in the dark, Abbasi could have removed him. Why did Abbasi wait for Sharif to do that job? Did Abbasi make any complaint to any office against the secretary petroleum (or other sacked officials) for not informing him about the buildup of the petroleum supply crisis? It is known that, time and again, Abbasi was informed, brought into the picture and updated on the impending crisis but he failed to perform his assigned role as minister. The question is: if Abbasi is exempted from the responsibility of turning a blind eye to the petroleum supply crisis, what is he doing at the helm of the ministry? Sharif should also answer a question: if a minister does not listen to the federal secretary, what should the secretary do?

The next responsibility lies on Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, who could not arrange finances for the ministry of petroleum to help it import petrol for consumers. It is known that Dar was informed several times of the imminent crisis. Furthermore, Abbasi failed to plead the case of his ministry with Dar. One can argue that it is the weak personality of Abbasi that failed to convince Dar. However, another can argue that Dar listens to no one, as Dar is a de facto deputy PM. Nevertheless, when the officials in the ministry of petroleum kept the officials in the ministry of finance in the picture, why did Dar fail to forestall the crisis? Several stories are being bandied about regarding the active role of Dar in letting the crisis take place. Are those true? One can argue that Dar was overconfident in tackling the crisis before it went out of control. However, another can argue that Dar may be a good auditor but not a good financial manager.

There is a school of thought that argues against the desired resignation of Abbasi. This school says that the government finds itself in a tight position to select the right man (read minister) for the job. If goodbye is waved to Abbasi, who will be the alternative? In a government in which the PM cannot find a competent person for the portfolio of foreign affairs and in which one minister is holding the charge of two ministries simultaneously, there is a dearth of capable persons to run government affairs. Such a government needs to be commiserated with and not censured.

Generally speaking, the petroleum supply crisis is a new entry into the long list of the crises Pakistan is tormented with. Similarly, the crisis has added one more bit of insecurity to the list of insecurities undermining the psychological health of Pakistanis. The crisis has made Pakistanis discern that the government is devoid of any contingency plan to deal with an emergency. Furthermore, the stories of having oil reserves lest a war breaks out are untrue. It is not advisable though to jump to the conclusion about the kind of future waiting for Pakistan. Nevertheless, it is advisable to imagine the mental state of people passing through one crisis after another every third day. With that, one can also fathom that the gravity of callousness grows in people about a crisis of lesser intensity. Pakistanis are fast approaching the point where only that crisis merits attention and a response that is bigger or more severe than its contenders.