ISLAMABAD (March 20 2003) : Ghee/cooking oil prices have gone-up by Rs 15per 16 kg tin/ Rs 1 per litre in open market due to shortage as moreupcountry industries shut down after running out of palm oil stocks.

The industries closed down at Hattar and Rawalpindi/Islamabad and othercities of Northern part of the country during the last two days were IqbalHafeez, Hattar, Latif Ghee, ,Mills Hattar, Zaiqa Ghee Mills, Texila, SofiGhee Mills, Fazal Ghee Mills, Islamabad and many others.

An Islamabad industrialist told Business Recorder that around 80 percentmills were closed after running out of stocks and the remaining wouldfollow if the supply did not resume within next 24 hours.

In Karachi and other cities of Sindh, 100 percent ghee/cooking oilmanufacturing units have already shut down due to suspension of supply.

The industrialists were uncertain by Wednesday night that either oiltankers owners have called-off strike and they would get supply onThursday.

They had contradictory reports from Karachi.

They remained engaged through out the day to confirm as if All PakistanOil Tankers Owners Association (APOTA) Chief had really called-off thestrike as per his Tuesday's announcement.

The tankers owners' association had went on strike last week againstever-rising trend in petroleum products.

They want that the government should take back powers from the oilcompanies advisory committee (OCAC) of adjusting petroleum products pricesfor a fair play.

They claimed that increase in diesel prices has made it difficult for themto continue with business at present fare.

They demanded increase in fare by 20 percent to meet additional cost.

Since announcement of the strike, palm oil consignments have been held-upat Port Qasim.

The supply of petroleum products have also disrupted for the last threedays.